


Atypical Traits

by jaimistoryteller



Series: Atypical [1]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: AU-disregard the Fall and season 3, Anal Sex, BAMF John Watson, Captivity, Guide John, Guide jim, Johnlock - Freeform, Johnstain - Freeform, M/M, Sentinel Sebastian, Sentinel Sherlock, Sentinel/Guide, Sentinel/Guide Bonding, Spoilers for Sherlock BBC, Supernatural Elements, Violence, War, mormor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-11
Updated: 2014-12-05
Packaged: 2018-02-16 23:22:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 25,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2288360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaimistoryteller/pseuds/jaimistoryteller
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every Guide who has ever tested John has determined he is a Sentinel, but John has a secret, one he prefers not to mention. While he was in the war he had a partner who knew his secret but after being shot he thought his partner had died. Sebastian had been the doctors partner for five years, well aware of the secret that John hid for he had one too, after John's death by a sniper he had gone off the deep end and got discharged from the military. What happens when the two discover that they really didn't die like they each thought the other had?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Views of Seven Years

**Author's Note:**

> This little plot bunny has been determine for the last few days so here it is, I hope everyone enjoys the unusualness of it. It’s not really told from any one view, though it is mostly from John and Sebastian’s view point more than Jim and Sherlock’s. 
> 
> _Empathy/Telepathy Speech_. Everything else.
> 
> Hopefully everyone enjoys.
> 
> Disclaimer: Sherlock does not belong to me, it belongs to BBC and Doyle.

To most their partnership is unusual, unbelievable. They are both five senses enhanced Sentinels. The first time they had teamed up had been due to an ambush and they had been on opposite ends of the caravan but had somehow ended up next to each other, protecting each other’s back while taking out the attackers. That was when both had realized that there was something off about the other. After the gun fight the two of them had shared one long look that promised a conversation later before heading their separate ways to do their respective jobs. 

Three days later the taller of the pair had come striding into the medic tent with the type of swagger that few could match. He had spotted the shorter man just finishing up his rounds and request a consultation in private. 

Calling for one of the other doctors to cover for him, the shorter man leads him to a small side tent, motioning him through before closing the flap behind him. “Yes sir?”

“How long have you been here?” the taller man inquires taking a seat after surveying the room and deciding the edge of the bed would be the best place for him. 

The shorter one shrugs, “Just over a year, you?”

“Just over two years, I have never seen another person with talents like mine before.” 

A smile curves the shorter man’s lips, “I have, meet some Americans, a pair of twins actually, who are like us. Still you’re the first other British citizen that I have meet with the atypical traits. I’m Captain John Watson, M.D.,” he offers his hand to the taller man, dark eyes gleaming while he waits to see how he responds. 

“Colonel Sebastian Moran, sniper,” the tall man replies accepting the hand shake. 

It’s the first time they touch and the fact that both of them are Sentinels and Guides their senses connect, feel each other out before breaking apart but leaving a small trace of the contact between them. 

“Nice to meet you, so do you have any training using your second nature or do you tend to ignore it?” the doctor inquires as he makes some tea after they let go. 

The colonel shrugs, “I was a straight Sentinel with all five senses highly enhanced until six months ago when I started getting burst of emotions from others. It’s been difficult keeping everyone out since then. You?”

The shorter man nods, handing him the tea, “Here you go,” before taking a seat on the other end of the bed, “I’ve always had both, it got me tested more times than I care to count, but I always register as a Sentinel, all five sense enhanced but only minorly, sight and touch are actually my best which is handy as a surgeon.” For a moment the two of them sit there in silence before the shorter of the pair offers, “I could teach you how to control it. I learn through trial and error, but it should be easier for you.”

After considering it a moment the taller man agrees before they make an arrangement to meet after the end of his shift to begin. Little did either realize that this would be the birth of such a long term partnership and relationship. 

The next several months pass in a blur and any time they are both off duty at the same time they work together on their respective unusual traits. Most around the base wondered if the two Sentinels were lovers but no one would say anything directly to them. Ironically enough, it was after John had worked on two separate Sentinels who had been shot when they had fallen into a zone that he first heard the rumors. Both Sentinels had been pulled out of their senses by a pair of Guides who had luckily enough been nearby and unbonded, a rare thing for military Guides. 

Once he had sent them on their way he had sat back at his small desk writing up reports to put in the patients files and thinking about the idea of being lovers with the other Sentinel. Where he is shorter than average, the other is taller than average, where his eyes are dark blue, his friends eyes are light blue, where he is sandy-blonde, the other is a strawberry-blonde. Both like guns and have the hands of someone who uses them with ease, the difference is his hands are callused from using surgery equipment as much as they are from his gun, while his friends hands are callused from using a wide variety of guns. Both are solidly built with little to no fat on them, though in sheer muscle his partner has more of it. It might be intriguing actually, and while he had never shown interest in men before, it did not cause him the panic that some went through the first time their sexuality was questioned. 

What he didn’t know was sitting in one of the command buildings his tall counterpart had just heard the rumor from one of the privates running errands for some of the other commanders that they would like to see that. Intrigued he spent most of his time after the meeting but before he went to visit with the doctor considering the idea. He was not surprised to find that it was an appealing idea, after all he had always preferred men to women though he would sleep with either. The doctor was the perfect fit against him, not so short to be annoying, but not to tall to be annoying. Perhaps he could discuss this idea with him. After all, the two of them meshed well, they were the only ones like them on the base. Perhaps it was something they could consider. 

That night when the two of them meet up for their nightly talks and drinks, the strawberry-blonde greets him normally, however nearly as soon as the door to the room is closed the taller man cups the doctors face before leaning in to kiss him rather hesitantly. The relief in the air is palpable when the doctor kisses him back, pushing just a bit closer to the sniper. From there the two manage to make it over to the doctor’s bed before the shorter man surprises the sniper by quickly rotating them around so that when they fall backwards it is the strawberry-blonde on the bottom while he straddles his hips and continues to kiss him. 

When they finally break apart to breath both are nearly panting and he can feel the taller mans erection through his fatigues between his legs. “So, I take it you heard the rumors and decided to see if there was any value to them?” the doctor chuckles breathlessly as he sits up, still straddling the taller man’s hips. 

Smirking, the taller man nods once, rotating his hips against the doctors. 

A low moan escapes him at the contact. “While I am willing to give this a try, would you mind overly much if we take it slow? I’ve never been attracted to a man before.”

The strawberry-blonde smiles, pulling him back down to kiss him senseless. “Alright,” he replies, and the two of them spend most of the night cuddled close and kissing. 

Time continues to pass in a flurry for the pair. Any time that they both have off has them either out having a drink and discussing how things are going or in sandy-blondes rooms off of the medical tent. When they are in his room they often spend time curled up either sleeping or exploring each other. Despite that they still had not gotten past occasionally gridding against each other and lots of heavy kissing, though in recent weeks they had also added roaming hands to the mix. There were also several times where the two were separated for long periods of time as well since the doctor would have times where he would not be able to get away from the medical tent due to a gun fight or where the sniper would be out doing what he does best, sniping. 

By the time their one year anniversary sneaks around the two of them have gotten into the habit of sleeping together any chance they have even though it is nothing more than platonic. Somehow they both manage to get time off so they decided to head to London for the week since the strawberry-blonde actually has a home there that he has had maintain while he is gone. The first night back in London neither one feels up to much of anything so instead they simply sleep curled in each other’s arms. 

The following morning comes early for the pair who are well used to being up at dawn in order to complete their normal shifts. So when they both awake without having to listen to an alarm a smile curves the smaller mans lips. “So we have five days to enjoy this before day six we have to return, any plans?” he queries of the taller man.

The strawberry-blonde smirks at him, rolling him over on his back and straddling his hips before leaning down to kiss him long and sensually. “I have a few ideas, for a change we can actually have time to ourselves without having to worry about someone needing one of us.”

Grinning the shorter man bucks up against him, rubbing their groins together before slipping out from under him. “How about showers and breakfast then we can get back to this?”

Groaning, the taller man allows himself to flop down on the bed before rolling over, “If you insist, though I am sure you’d make a perfect breakfast myself.” The smile he gives is downright predatory and sends a thrill through the shorter man. 

With a shared smirk the two of them manage to make it to the shower where they are side tracked by the fact it is the first time they had been totally naked together. Which when one considers the fact that both adore having sex, the fact that neither had done much more than masturbate, give each other hurried hand jobs, and heavy petting was amazing. It speaks to the fact that they were both serious about their budding relationship. After striping down, they take turns appreciating the way the other is built. 

John had realized that his lover was well built but he had not realized how well built until he got his first complete view of him. Even when the strawberry-blonde had been in the medics tent, it had always been for minor injuries that had not required him to do anything more than remove part of his shirt or all of it. His lover was a well built man, tall and muscular. There were several scars on his body but they did nothing to subtract from his looks, instead they gave him a bit more roguishness to his looks. One thing he truly desired was getting to know every inch of that golden-tan skin and it was something he could do with his slightly enhanced senses. 

Sebastian on the other hand loved the fact that his lover was short and solid with not an ounce of wasted space or fat to be seen on the smaller man. He was naturally paler, so the contrast between the sun-kissed parts and covered parts was rather attracting, making him desire to run the flat of his tongue against him and find out if they responded any different. While he had seen plenty of naked men, his doctor was the first he had seen who was so at ease within his own body. There was no major damage that he could see to the smaller man, for which he was quite happy because otherwise he would have to find whoever had harmed him and put a bullet between their eyes. 

Eventually the two of them give the other a smile before climbing in the shower to enjoy the feel of the water cascading down their skin without it smelling like it was overly processed. After a quick shower they retreat to the kitchen, the shorter man had dressed in a dressing robe while the taller was wearing nothing but a towel low on his hips. He watches in amusement as the tall man throws together a breakfast for them, grumbling nearly every step of the way that the maid needed to learn to pick fresher food as he does so. Once he is done cooking breakfast the two of them eat up.

“Tastes good,” he tells his tall friend, “If you want I can make dinner later,” he offers. 

A smile curves the taller man’s lips as he replies, “We’ll see, I think I am going to try and wear you out instead so we have to order in.”

“Oh really?” the smirk he gives back is almost as predatory as the one he had received that morning. 

The rest of breakfast is spent with the two of them taking turns teasing each other. By the time they are done eating, both of them are aroused and it is merely a race to see who is going to top this time around. Quickly the both of them head into the bedroom. If it was a matter of pure strength then the strawberry-blonde would have won hands down, he was physically bigger and stronger, however it always was a matter of intelligence and dexterity in which he meet his match in the short doctor. Almost as soon as they fell onto the bed together they had rolled around trying to determine who was on top until the sandy-blonde had finally flipped him over and whispered in the strawberry-blondes ear.

“Since this is my first time, it would be medically advisable for me to be on top so I can control how fast you penetrate me.”

Groaning the taller man flops back, grinning wolfishly and replying, “Sounds like a plan,” before pulling him flush against the taller form and proceeding to kiss him senseless. 

During the next several minutes no words are spoken as the shorter of the pair takes his time exploring the treat laid out beneath him. Slowly he kisses, licks, nips, and touches every inch of flesh from Sebastian’s throat to his hips. Upon getting to his hips, he takes the time to explore every inch around his aching member without actually touching that one part his partner really wants him to touch. When the taller man is just about begging he finally decides to give a sweep of his tongue up the vein running the course of his prick before swirling his tongue around the head of it, trying to mimic the things that he has found pleasurable in the past. 

Sebastian is nearly ready to come undone when he pulls roughly on John’s shoulders, pulling him back up his body while one long arm reaches over to the night stand to grab a thing of lube before he slicks his fingers and proceeds to preparing the shorter man’s untried hole. While he does so, the taller man kisses him senseless, not wanting him to notice any of the discomfort that comes with the first few times a person is prepared for anal sex. When he is certain the sandy-blonde will not be injured, the strawberry-blonde lifts his body, settling him against his weeping cock without actually pushing him down. One hand slips between their bodies to guide him in while the other is used to stroke his partner’s ridged length as well. 

A gasp escapes the sandy-blonde as he feels each inch of his partner slowly slide into him, giving him the type of full feeling he had never had before. Momentarily he wonders if this is why his female partners seem to prefer having sex with a man to with other females or toys because he cannot imagine that anything else would feel as good. The next bit seems to go in a passion filled blur as his naturally heighten senses focus in on his partner, even more so with his empathy which so rarely engages on its own. So when both Sentinel-Guides start to share their feelings, both physically and mental it sends explosions through them. 

To say that the first time between them went far faster than either expected would be an understatement. 

However it still felt perfect and set the tone for the rest of the week. The two of them slept together in the strawberry-blondes bed. Showered either separately or together, sometimes doing more than just bathing, other times not. Ate breakfast, taking turns cooking for each other though Sebastian liked to show off that he was actually a fairly good cook despite his complaints about the quality of his supplies to cook with, then spent all day spending time together. for all intent and purposes they were dating, yet neither had bonded with the other. When the week was up they were happy to return to the war even though they had been just as happy to have some time off.

Almost as soon as they were back things seemed to get rough and they went several months unable to do more than just cuddle and sleep on the rare occasions they were both off shift at the same time. 

They were well into their second year of the relationship the first time the two of them were intentionally sent to the field together, a group of hostages needed to be rescued but they did not have the manpower available to do recent attacks to send a full team. That didn’t bother either of the blonde Sentinels, they were good shots, one with a sniper rifle, the other with his small hand gun, it had to be a quiet mission, because they did not want to alert the local enemy army to their actions so the two took only what was needed to survive. 

It was a dangerous thing sneaking up on an entire enemy encampment and the pair spent a few days just getting a feel for the base. Upon learning what the regular routine was like they planned accordingly, they would strike right before dawn. Sebastian would use his rifle and enhanced sight to take out all of the sentries since there was twelve per shift, spaced out around the small town that the army had captured. Once those twelve were down, the two would sneak up close, using a signal blocker to prevent transmissions for help and cutting the power lines to the headquarters along with disabling the generator which they foolishly kept outside. After that they would sneak in and free all the hostages, killing any enemy combatants that they had in their line of fire. 

John would also use his guide abilities to keep all of the people they were there to help calm, though that was not something that they were going to put into their report since neither had admitted to the higher ups that they were both Sentinels and Guides. 

It was another two days before they were actually able to put their plan to work and took nearly forty-eight hours from start to finish before they were able to radio for a pick up. Somehow they had managed to pick of every one of the soldiers that had been in the base. The locals were grateful to be free but horrified at the price that would probably occur to their community. Most packed their things and left for other towns where they had family, others decided to go with their force in hopes of being protected. All of the hostages survived miraculously though there were a few close to death and several that were either swooning or zoning. Despite his lack of sleep, the doctor had started working on all of the injured as soon as it was safe, he wanted as many as possible safe to transfer. Through it, the sniper stood guard over the area that the doctor worked in until their ride showed up and got everyone out.

After that it became a common thing for the two of them to work together on difficult missions. Over the next three years this pattern would be repeated several times but they never managed to get their time off at the same time, so instead of going back to London, the pair stayed and spent whatever off time their partner had in one of their rooms instead. Any free time was spent doing whatever they felt like together whether it was just spending time together or having sex. 

They were also tested several more times by Clan Guides to see if either of them could be bonded, a test that they always managed to fail. It was hard for many of the commanders to believe that the pair of them worked so well together as a pair of Sentinels but they were left to their own devices, everyone thankful that neither of them had ever zoned. 

During one of their missions they had realized that they could combine their Guide abilities to strike silently and just as deadly as they did with their guns. It had been completely accidental the first time, but after that the two of them learned to use it in concert. Then during their fifth and final year as partners they had also realized that they could force enemy Sentinels into zones and enemy Guides into swoons, allowing them to capture them for interrogation rather than having to kill them. 

It was at the end of the fifth year together when they were sent on a rescue mission that was suspected no one else could do when it happened. A moment that was set to change their lives forever, or so it felt. They had completed the mission and were on the way back with the rescued people when the convoy they were part of was ambushed. The pair had went to work helping the other soldiers drop the enemies but there was just too many of them it seemed. Somewhere along the way, the doctor had spotted one of the rescued children being shot and had fought his way to the side of the little one, using his empathy to keep her calm, he had just about finished patching her up when he felt the sharp sting of a bullet ripping through his armor and turning into a fierce pain as the bullet passed through his shoulder. 

As far as he cared, it had been a lucky hit, it had not hit the child he had been working on. Groaning in pain, he sent out a call for his partner to let him know that he was injured before trying to patch his shoulder up the best he could, using a small torch from a car repair kit to burn the wound so it would stop bleeding since he knew that was the only way he was going to survive. The last thing he remembered was Sebastian screaming for him to wake up and being unable to listen.

Three weeks later he had awaken in a hospital back in Britain with no idea how he had gotten back to Britain in the shape he was in. It would be another two months before he would be able to move around on his own. Every time he asked after the others he was assured that the child he had fought so hard to save had lived, but they never would tell him about his unit or his partner. Twice while he was in the hospital he was tested to see if he was able to bond. When he was not, the Clan members had left confused. Eventually he was released into a half-way house where he would do physical therapy and work on the skills to reintegrate into civilian society. He was also forced to see a therapist about his trauma, none of the staff realizing he would be fine if they would just tell him what the hell happened to his partner. 

It was pure hell. 

In the long run he managed to get transferred from a half-way house to a bedrest for ex-soldiers. There he sought news of his partner from those returning, but no one seemed to know what had happened to him. Eventually he gave it up as a lost cause. While the two of them might not have been bonded, they spent five years keeping each other sane and working together to deal with any situation thrown at them. They had been lovers and friends, as close as any two Sentinel and Guide bondmates ever were. 

Then one days during a walk after he had finished his last visit with that therapist that he had been required to see, he had run across an old Guide friend named Mike Stamford who had asked him to coffee. It had felt weird but had went with it, deciding that even if it was hard, it was time to try and move on. The two had talked for a bit before Mike had asked about his plans for staying in the city. Originally, Sebastian and him had planned on staying at Sebastian’s place whenever they were in London, but with that option gone he had answered he didn’t know. Giving him a funny look the Guide had suggested a flat-share but he had not thought that anyone would want to flat-share with him and said so. With a smirk the older man had suggested he come with him, there was someone that he wanted him to meet.

One short trip later into the heart of Bart’s hospital found them in the labs. There he had seen one of the most striking men he had ever seen before. Both his Sentinel senses and Guide empathy had locked on and scanned him, apparently like what they had come across because his mind had screamed that this man could be bondmate, could replace that empty feeling that losing his partner had caused. 

When the tall dark-haired Sentinel, and he was a pure Sentinel, not an atypical one like his partner had been, had asked him to meet to view a potential flat he had not been sure what to do but had agreed anyways. 

That was a choice he never regretted in the months to follow. Because while his new friend had no clue that he was an atypical Guide with Sentinel overlay abilities, they worked well together. He started dating female mutes, the regular humans who were neither Guide nor Sentinel. Not once when people assumed he was with Sherlock did he allow himself to imagine that it was a possibility. Instead he took his pleasure in worthless relationships while he protected the Sentinel that he lived with, twice pulling him out of zones but passing it off as luck, rather than admitting what he really was. 

When working with the Yard he tended to stay away from Donovan as much as possible because he always wanted to trigger a zone in the foolish low-level sight and hear Sentinel just to give her a taste of what it is like to be bullied. He got along great with Lestrade who was a mid-level all five sense Sentinel with a Guide who really hated his line of work. He didn’t have to avoid Anderson because that stupid mute avoided him all on his own, unnerved by the fact that there was a pair of Sentinels who worked so close together. 

While the sandy-blonde was going through all of that his partner was also going through hell. He had not been shot but had felt John call for him and had fought his way to his partner’s side just to find him unconscious and still trying to protect a child with his body. The torch the doctor had used to seal his wound was still burning brightly on the ground next to where he had fallen. Carefully, so not to jar the fragile repair job that his partner had done he had managed to carry him to where the medical team was after the enemy had been clean up. There the doctors, none as skill as John, had gone to work on trying to save his partners life. He had felt extreme pain when his doctor’s heart had stopped beating and felt immense relief it when had been restarted. The second time it had stopped they had not been able to get it going immediately after and one of the nurses had come to tell him that he was dead but they wouldn’t let him in to say goodbye. 

Furious he had headed to his room to collect up his rifle and the gun that John had got him as a Christmas present. Not bothering with orders he had gone out after the sniper who had dared to kill his partner. They might not have been bonded but they had still be close, as close as any bondmate couple after five years of working so closely together and occasionally sharing thoughts when their respective empathic talents would connect as they did whenever one of them was stretched close to their breaking point or when they were having sex. 

Three week later he had returned to camp to be promptly discharged. While it was not classified as dishonorable, it was close enough that all he had felt was rage. For the first few weeks back in London he had spent his nights drinking at his favorite pub down the road from his flat. 

Then one night he had met him, the Guide who had a chance to become the world to him, one that he could bond with, someone who would fill the hole left by the death of his partner. Not that he told any of this to the Guide in question. 

The small dark haired Irishman was insane it seemed at times but brilliant as all hell, a true genius with a flair for dramatics and a vengeful streak ten miles wide. He was small, like his partner had been, but not nearly as solid. Instead of having a partner, he now had a boss. One who found it hilarious that there were certain jobs he would not do because he honored the memory of his partner. Well he had found it hilarious after they had a massive fight about it. Eventually the two of them had become lovers, but unlike with his doctor it had not been about mutual pleasure, it had been about power. In many ways it was horrid because it made him long for the days where he knew why his bedmate was with him. 

Things continued on that way until that fateful day, that day by the pool when he was told to shoot his bosses enemies partner and had refused as soon as he saw who it was.


	2. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I realized that this story owes its existence to the songs Battle Born by Five Finger Death Punch, Demons by Imagine Dragons, and Give Me Just One Reason by Pink & Nate Ruess because I kept listen to those three songs when this idea first came to mind. 
> 
> Anyways, any reviews, follows, favorites, subscribes, emails, or any other form of communication to let me know what everyone thinks is greatly appreciated.

oOo Sebastian’s POV oOo

He had been completely surprised as he stared down the scope of his rifle at his partner. He was alive. Alive! There was no way in hell he was going to shoot the man who had helped keep him sane and was still a guiding force in his life even after he thought he was dead. There had to be a way to stop this. He was trying to figure out what to do, when his boss’s phone goes off, its obnoxious song halting everything. Even though he is not a religious man he thanks every God he had ever heard of when he calls off the attack. Now he doesn’t have to find a away to stop this from happening.

Instead he just has to find a way to have a reunion with his partner. Focusing deep within himself, he uses that small flare of empathy that he has tried to avoid using since he lost him, reaching out for the person who he had spent years connected too.

 _John_.

The short sandy-blonde head jerks upright as he looks around before he responds in kind, _Sebastian? You’re alive? I thought you were dead!_

 _Can you meet me at the pub by my flat? You remember the one._ He inquires of his partner, completely surprised to be able to connect. It feels far more natural than he remembers and he can do nothing more than smile even as he breaks his rifle apart in order to head out.

 _Tomorrow morning I can. I will be there at ten am._ His sandy-blonde friend replies.

Joy surges between them, _See you then._

That night he heads home and for the first time since the ambush things do not seem worthless, there is hope. Some anyways. Though now he had to consider what he is going to do about his boss. The two of them are lovers, and he hopes that someday he will be able to break through the insanity enough to bond with him because besides John, Jim is the only person he had ever met that there was any chance of it even coming close to working with. So what to do? What about his John, was he still his or was he now with that tall detectives? Despite all the questions running through his head, he still manages to get some good sleep so he would be ready for morning.

 

 

oOo John’s POV oOo

As he sat there leaning against the wall of the pool room a familiar presence seemed to call to him. Despite his best effort to locate it, he was unable to. So to say that he was startled when he heard his name in a voice he had thought dead for the last several months.

 _Sebastian? You’re alive? I thought you were dead!_ he exclaims on the shared path, his empathy kicking into overdrive as it reaches for the one person he had always connected well with. Even as his empathy kicks he scans the room with his eyes trying to find where his tall friend is at.

Moments later the primarily Sentinel inquires, _Can you meet me at the pub by my flat? You remember the one._ He gets the impressions of the place, shared through their linked empathy.

Mentally smiling he replies, _Tomorrow morning I can. I will be there at ten am._

Both of them seem to feel the pleasure at the fact the other is alive, causing delight to flow between them, _See you then._ The tall man remarks before the connection ends but doesn’t break.

It is not nearly as strong as it had original been but considering both had thought the other was dead that was no real surprise. How had he known he was here? Did that mean that he works for Moriarty? If he did, had he lost all of the values he had once held close? He would have to ask him about it tomorrow.

While he is lost in his mind, the Sentinel that he lives with has called Detective Inspector Lestrade so that he can have a bomb team dismantle the vest. Once everything has been taken care of, the pair head back to their flat.

For some reason his flat-mate seems to be hovering though he does not understand why until Sherlock finally inquires in a soft voice, “Are you going to leave me? Is that why you have been so quiet since I got the vest off of you? I don’t want you to go.”

Realizing that he is worrying the Sentinel that he wishes to someday bond with, he gets to his feet, rising from his chair to walk over to where the tall man is standing by the window and wraps his arms loosely around him, answering him softly, “I’m not going anywhere, it has just been a long day, though we are going to need to talk soon.”

Letting go of the taller man, he smiles before heading towards the stairs to his room, “Good night Sherlock, I have to go out for a bit in the morning, but I will be back, alright?”

Lying on his bed that night he could not help but smile at the idea that maybe things were not as bad as they had seemed. The following morning seems to come sooner than he expects but excitement causes him to grab a change of clothes and head to the bathroom to bath and change. On his way out, he checks to make sure that the Sentinel that he lives with is alright. Carefully brushing him with his empathy, he finds that the tall man is mostly fine, just distracted about what had happened the night before. He is trying to determine what’s going on with himself because he does not understand how things could be the way that they are.

“I’ll be back in a few hours Sherlock,” he tells the tall man as he pauses at the door, “Do you want me to get you anything from the market?”

The tall man tilts his head to the side, giving him a look before returning to staring at the ceiling from his spot stretched out on the sofa.

Smiling lightly he heads out, stopping to hire a cab to take him to the old pub. When he first walks in he scans the area with both sets of senses, overjoyed when he finds his partner sitting at one of the booths over towards the back corner. With a lighter heart than he has had in a while, he heads over there. Just as he gets to the table, the strawberry-blonde stands and the two share one long hug as their senses realign the way they had every time they had ever touched.

“Damn it’s good to see you, I thought you were dead because no one would answer when I asked what happened to you. A few even suggested you committed suicide.” He tells the taller man as they take their seats.

For a moment the other blonde doesn’t respond just looks him over carefully before replying, “They told me you died during the surgery and that they could not revive you. The first time you died I felt it and I felt it as they revived you, the second time I did not feel it when they brought you back, only your death. So I went out hunting, the bastard who shot you is dead. a bullet between the eyes ended all of his problems.”

Chuckling lightly he shakes his head, “Damn, had I realized you were still alive I would have tried to track you down. I considered going back to the flat at one point but I never had a key and it was just too painful to consider breaking in.”

Both fall silent as they consider the time that has elapsed since the last time they had seen each other that fateful day. “So you work for Moriarty?”

The strawberry-blonde nods once, “Yeah, after your ‘death’ I was discharged for going rogue, not dishonorably but it still stung. Particularly when they would not let me see you to say goodbye. For a while I was coming here and getting drunk then one night there was this scrawny, well dressed man who approached me with a job offer. The first time I touched him I knew that I could bond with him.” the other atypical Sentinel shakes his head, “of course the one person besides you I felt a connection to is insane. Makes things difficult sometimes.” He shrugs, “I don’t always do what he wants, he finds it amusing as hell that I have a moral code and actually keep to it.”

“Wow, simply wow,” he mutters as the waitress asks what they want to order.

Both order breakfast and juice before returning to their conversation.

“What about you? Do you work for Holmes or is it something else?” his partner inquires.

He gives a little shrug as he replies, “I spent several months in rehab and half-way houses before a guy I went to medical school with recognized me while I was taking a walk. After visiting with him for a bit he introduced me to Sherlock, and upon first contact I knew, just knew, that he was perfect Sentinel for me. Of course the arse is asexual so that leads to some problems like how to approach the subject of the fact we would make a great bond. He is a bit extreme at times but I wouldn’t really change anything, except maybe a second fridge so I have somewhere I can put food without body parts.” He chuckle at the end, shaking his head.

About that point the waitress brings them their food so they pause in their conversation for a few minutes to eat. When they are just about done eating, they return to talking, “So how are we going to handle this, my flat-mate and potential Sentinel and your boss and potential Guide are enemies but there is no way in hell I am shooting you, and that means I can’t shoot him.”

The strawberry-blonde nods once, “Serious a bitch of a problem, I mean I am not shooting you, and that means I can’t shoot him either. So that leaves us in a bit of a bind because I am pretty sure that one of these days that’s going to be what the boss wants.”

Silence falls between the two of them for a bit as they consider the options. Eventually a predatory gleam colors his eyes, he doesn’t even have to look in the mirror to know that. “What if we over whelm the two of them? Send them into both a swoon and zone like we used to do enemy Sentinels and Guides, then force them to work out their difference before we allow them out of wherever we lock them?” he pauses for a moment, running a hand down his jaw, “Let me think on it for a bit, but I think we could find away to make them work together in order to avoid having them trying to kill each other. Even if we are no longer lovers, we’re still partners and I would prefer not to cause you harm by hurting your Guide.”

For several minute the taller man considers what he is saying before he nods, “That might work, do you think you could flesh out the rest of the plan? I don’t know if I would be able to do so without getting caught, besides you were always the one better with our odd traits rather than me.”

He smiles, “Yeah, I think so.”

“Awesome,” the sniper replies with a familiar smirk. He looks like he is ready to say something else when his phone starts ringing. Answering it, “Hello?” he listens for a few minutes before replying, “Yes sir, be there shortly.” Before hanging up and sighing, “Well I hate to cut this short but I was just called into work. Can we meet up again? Even though we’re not returning to being lovers I still want to keep in touch.”

Dropping some money on the table, he smiles at his tall companion, nodding, “Hell yes, we’ll have to go out for drinks one of these nights. Here, what’s your number?” he demands as he pulls his phone out and readies it to insert the number. While he is doing that, apparently his partner has the same idea because he offers his phone, so they trade off, typing in their new numbers and saving them before returning the phone back to its owner.

Again the two have a long hug before they head out, he knows that what’s coming is not going to be easy but it is something that he has to do. There is no way he is going to lose his partner again, particularly not now when both of them have so much to live for.


	3. Tea Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope that everyone enjoys, *smiles* I am certain three folks are from the subscriptions, though what they are enjoying I dunno.

oOo John’s POV oOo

Not long after walking into the flat, the pair was on their way back out, there had been a locked door murder where an entire family was killed but there was no sign of how the killer had got in let alone how they had killed them. For the next four days it seemed as if they were on a constant state of running as the moved from the crime scene to following the leads that the dark-haired man had found. Through it all he had kept a close eye on Sherlock’s Sentinel abilities because he wanted to make sure that he did not zone, every time it seemed like he was edging that line, he would intentionally brush against him, drawing his attention to him instead. By the time they caught the killer, a distant cousin who was jealous of the fact his cousin had been successful in life where he was not, he was exhausted and sure that Sherlock was too. It had been rather tempting to put a bullet in the man on principle but he had left him to the un-tender mercies of the two Sentinel detectives that had worked the crime scene with Lestrade.

When the two of them got back to their flat, it was almost a race to see who could pass out first. Sherlock won, stretching out on the sofa and drifting off almost immediately. He had slept for a bit in bed before is eyes had snapped open and he had awakened, a strange feeling pulsing through him.

Frowning, he had focused on it, realizing that it was his partner in pain and had reached out with his empathy on their shared recently reestablished link to check on him. _Do you need help?_

It is a few minutes before he gets a reply, _Yeah, got stabbed and was just debating about how to go about getting it treated, its on my back so I cannot deal with it myself._

Sighing, he sits up in bed before stretching and suggesting, _You can come here or I can go to your flat._

 _Won’t Sherlock have a problem with it?_ comes the strawberry-blondes query after a few moments consideration.

 _Probably not. I am assuming you know how to get here?_ There is heavy sarcasm in his voice because the two of them had always been good at tracking the other as long as their link was established. Past that, with his partner working officially for the ‘enemy’ he probably knew where the flat was from that as well.

The impression of a chuckle reaches him through the shared empathy, _ETA five minutes._

Shaking his head, he allows the connection to fall silent before heading downstairs, Sherlock is still passed out cold on the sofa, so he opens the taller man’s bedroom door, quietly walks across the floor and pulls back the blankets before he heads back into the living room. With years of practice moving people who were bigger than him, he carefully scoops up his dark-haired flat-mate and carries him into his bedroom, where he places him in bed and covers him up. Since he knows how disorienting it can be to fall asleep one place and wake in another he leaves the bedroom door open as he goes and collects up his kit and sets up next to the sofa. There is a heavy knock at the outside door about the time he is done doing so.

Rolling his shoulders a bit, he heads down the stairs before Mrs. Hudson can answer the door and opens it up. Switching to his Sentinel senses rather than using his Guide empathy, he carefully studies the taller man as he invites him in. With another shake of his head, he invites him upstairs, directing him to the sofa while he closes the doors behind them. He can just about smell Mrs. Hudson’s curiosity when she peeks out of her flat to make sure everything is alright. 

“Nice flat, I am guessing that the clutter is from your Sentinel? You were never this messy.” The strawberry-blonde remarks as he strips off his shirt without being directed too and throws it on the floor beside him.

He snorts, replying, “Yeah, but he’s doing better about it, for someone with such an organized mind I am not sure how he deals with this disaster. Here, give me that, I have some soap that works great for getting blood out. Have to when ones flat-mate likes to chase criminals around on foot. Never know what’s going to happen.”

A low, husky chuckle escapes the taller man though it quickly becomes a groan of pain. 

Quickly he heads to the washer, throwing the shirt in with an extra amount of the hospital grade detergent before returning to where he is seated on the sofa, “Spin a bit so your back is to the arm rest and scoot forward,” he directs as he grabs the antibacterial wipes that he had laid out. 

Without complaint the tall man does as directed, presenting his back and the long gash that runs along the side of his spine. Both men flinch as their empathy connects and the pain is shared for an instance before both pull it back under control. Silently, he cleans every inch of the wound and the area around it before he grabs the sutures kit and proceeds to sewing it up before covering it in antibacterial jell and a long set of gauze pads. 

“So whose head did you take off for this one and do I want to know why?” He finally inquires when he is done.

Smiling a bit, the taller man turns back to face him when he is done, replying, “Drug dealer thug, dumb ass thought he owned the street I was walking on. Really shouldn’t have started anything with me. I have a bit of a temper.”

Chuckling and shaking his head, he heads into the kitchen to make tea. As he does so, his enhanced sense of hearing alerts him to the minor changes in Sherlock’s breathing. The dark-haired man would be waking any moment, which meant here soon he was going to have to explain who the tall strawberry-blonde in the living room was. Whatever. He had planned to do so anyways, no better time than the present. Instead of making two cups, he makes three, timing it perfectly so just as the curly haired man steps out of his room he is ready to present him with his tea. 

“Here you go Sherlock,” he tells him as he hands the tea over before grabbing Sebastian’s and his, heading into the living room. “Sebastian,” he murmurs as he hands the other tall man his tea.

A calculating look covers the detectives features as he strides in and sits in his seat. Despite that, he almost got the impression that there was about to be a ‘I’m the better Sentinel’ match between the two of them which he really hoped wouldn’t happen.

“Military sniper, no longer in service. Long term friend with John, wait, no, more than friends. Really? Injured in a fight with a drug runner thug. Used to being obeyed. All strong five senses Sentinel.” The dark haired Sentinel mutters as he studies his partner. 

“Sebastian, this is Sherlock. Sherlock, Sebastian had been my partner for years in the service, we only lost touch because some idiots told each of us the other was dead.” he does the introductions soothingly, knowing the affect he can have when pitching his voice properly.

Those sharp eyes turn on him, studying him anew as if looking for the clues he missed, “You’re not gay.” He finally mutters, “Both of you are Sentinels, how would a relationship like that work? Because you were more than just military partners according to the posture that he holds himself towards you.”

The strawberry-blonde gives a quick shake of his head, glancing over at him and inquiring, “He’s always like that?” 

“Yep, he’s always like that, anyways, I told you we needed to talk, not my fault there was a murder case before we had a chance to.” He replies to the both of them. 

It’s amusing as hell when both answer, “Oh,” in the same type of tone.

“You’re not gay but had a male lover? Explain.” His flat-mate demands glancing between the two of them, “Do you plan to pick back up where you left off?” 

There is something in his tone that borders on possessiveness and jealousy, causing him to duck his head and look at his tea while he suppress a smile before answering, “Ever hear of pansexual? That better describes my orientation then straight or gay, both of which are rather limiting, I wouldn’t even say bisexual since that implies I am equally attracted to both, which is inaccurate too. Prior to blondey over there I wasn’t attracted to men, and since blondey there has only been one other man I was attracted to.”

He can feel the amusement from the strawberry-blonde at being called blondey and his mirth over the fact that the genius seems to be having a hard time processing. 

His ears perk as he hears the washer stop, so he goes to check it, switching the shirt into the dryer when he finds it is done washing. Almost all of the blood was out. Returning to the living room, he chuckles at the staring match that the two of them are going through. “So you two wanna stop having a staring contest sooner than later.” He mutters as he collects the now empty tea cups and goes to make more tea for the three of them while they continue their staring contest. 

Sighing, he makes the tea before heading back into the living room, bringing theirs out first before returning to the kitchen to fetch his. Then, settling himself back in his chair he waits patiently. “You might be a sniper and you a detective but I am a surgeon, I’ve got the patients to deal with the both of you.” 

Apparently it is the right thing to say because both turn their attention on him and he just smiles at them serenely as he takes a sip of his tea. 

“It’s the jumpers, they make a person forget what kind of a pain in the arse you are.” The strawberry-blonde eventually mutters. 

“I might be a pain in the arse, but you enjoyed every minute of it,” he retorts sweetly, grinning when the dark haired man flushes. 

“You realize that he works for Moriarty?” his flat-mate eventually demands, shifting his focus to him with narrow eyes. 

He shrugs, “Of course, immaterial, we’re partners.”

“So? Your brother is the biggest annoyance in the world but you don’t see me making a big deal about it.” Sebastian answers at the same time as him. “You’re not far behind either.”

“What is being partners have to do with anything?” his flat-mate demands of him, while waving off his partners remark, “Everyone knows Mycroft is annoying.”

“What he means is we do not harm each other or those that the other cares for.” The strawberry-blonde replies snappishly. 

Silence falls as the detective considers what the sniper said, eyes narrow as he thinks about it. Almost all of the rest of the visit goes quietly as each person considers the implications of that statement. Even though they are no longer lovers nor are they working together regularly, they still consider each other partners, thus they would do everything that they could to help the other out. It was just the way it is between them. He knows that his flat-mate is probably having a hard time understanding. 

When he hears the dryer click off he goes to check it, hearing an unfamiliar ring tone while he is doing so and knowing that it is Sebastian being called back into work. Smiling ruefully, he makes sure that the majority of the blood is out before returning to the living room and tossing the taller man his shirt. 

“If you get hurt again, give me a buzz.” He tells him as he slips the shirt on and sighs at the warmth of it against his aching muscles. 

“Of course,” the sniper replies, “We’ll have to do this again sometime soon, though I say we also go out for drinks, teas all fine and dandy but sometimes a man just wants something harder.”

He rolls his eyes, nodding once, “Of course,” as he shows him out, the taller man pulls him into a hug on the bottom step.

“Make sure you don’t let that Sentinel get you killed, I would be really upset if something happened to you.” he mutters against his ear, so very quietly that almost with his enhanced hearing he barely understands. 

“You make sure that Guide your working with doesn’t do you in.” he retorts as he nods.

Smirking, the taller man loops off, heading out the door and down the street with the same ease as he had when going out on a mission in Afghanistan. When he gets back upstairs Sherlock is still sitting in his chair but has a thoughtful look on his face. 

“John, when he said Sentinel, was he referring to me?” the younger man inquires eventually, his voice mildly hesitant like he really wants to know but doesn’t like what type of answer he might get. It is only the second time he had heard him speak in that kind of voice.

Scooping up the empty mugs he goes and makes fresh tea one more time before answering him, “Of course, do you know of any other Sentinels I spend all my time with?”

The slender man shakes his head no, watching him with apprehensive eyes. “But you’re a Sentinel, why would he worry?”

He smiles as he sits down on the sofa instead of his chair, “Are there any listening devices in here?”

Quickly the taller man stands, his eyes narrowing as he does a sweep of the flat, removing three different bugs before sitting back down in his chair, “No.”

Nodding once he smiles at his flat-mate, “Because that’s my secret, I’m really not a Sentinel.”

“Of course you are,” he retorts, “You have all five senses enhanced on a low level but your sight and touch are the most enhanced of them. I can register it.”

He shakes his head, “That’s where you’re wrong, I am actually an atypical Guide as the Americans call it. My main abilities are my Guide traits, not my Sentinel traits. I just submerge my Guide traits deep inside in order to not get recognized for what I am. In my life I have only ever met three other people like me. One was on my base. The other two were Americans I worked with during my first year of deployment.”

For a long time silence reigns as the detective studies him. Adding this new information and recalculating everything he knew about him. Even without his empathy he could see the thoughts flying through the younger man’s mind. Apparently he felt the need to review everything that he had ever learned about him. 

Smiling, he states, “I am going for a walk, we can talk more when I get back.”

There is no response as he grabs his coat and leaves, but then he had not expected a response.


	4. Reflections and Anger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So if I say please can I have a review or two? Thank you to all the people who have read the story or subscribed to it.

oOo Sebastian’s POV oOo

When the knife had first cut through the back of his shirt and into his skin he had hissed in pain as his senses had overloaded. Thankfully enough he was enough of a Guide to keep from zoning. Instead he had spun around, ripping the knife from the thugs hands and nearly beheading him. Almost as soon as the adrenaline stopped the pain had set in and it just about sent him to his knees. The gash was running along his spine, only years of training kept him moving to get away from the scene. Thankfully he was wearing his leather gloves so there would be no finger prints to trace back to him.

When he found somewhere where he could stop for a moment he was considering where he could get this patched up. He did not want to go to the hospital and most clinics would not be able to treat it adequately. So he was surprised when he felt his empathic link flare to life.

 _Do you need help?_ It was his sandy-blonde partner inquiring after his health. Of course, now that they had re-found each other the link was back. 

It takes him a few minutes to reply as he struggles to focus, 

_Yeah, got stabbed and was just debating about how to go about getting it treated, it’s on my back so I cannot deal with it myself._

He gets the impression of a sigh before the short atypical responds, _You can come here or I can go to your flat._

Curiosity blooms in him, he knows that his partner has a Sentinel he is working towards bonding so wouldn’t that Sentinel have a problem with his ex-lover being there? Unless of course his potential bondmate has no clue that he is a Guide rather than a Sentinel. Oh that could cause problems. As his mind spins with these thoughts he inquiries, _Won’t Sherlock have a problem with it?_

Dry sarcasm fills his partners mind voice as he replies, _Probably not. I am assuming you know how to get here?_

A chuckle escapes him but sends sharp pains through his body as he remarks, _ETA five minutes._

He knows right where his boss’s enemy lives, which means he knows right where his partner lives. At one point he had considered killing Holmes just to get his boss to stop with it, but had decided not to. Now he was happy he had made that choice because had he harmed his partners Sentinel that could have harmed his partner and one does not harm their partner. 

As he flags a cabbie and pays the man double to get him there in record time, he considers the fact that the two of them had been well matched since they had met seven years prior. Almost the entire first year they had known each other they had been nothing more than friends and training partners. With John’s help he had learned to control his very minor empathic abilities, learning to hone them into very dangerous weapons that could be used the same way as his Sentinel abilities could be. Even better was once he understood how to use his empathy, he never had to worry about zoning because his mind automatically regulated. As such, he did not require the bond that nearly all Sentinels require in order to stay grounded. 

Then there had been that day where he had decided to kiss him after hearing the rumors about the two of them. Never in his life had he been nervous about kissing a person as he was when he decided to kiss the doctor. The relief he had felt as the doctor had kissed him back. It was as if something had clicked. Over the next year he had spent a lot of time hard as hell wanting to do nothing more than fuck like rabbits but every time he thought that there was going to be a chance for them to do so something would come up. Finally, just over a year into their relationship they had finally managed to get in bed together past the platonic and he had realized why Sentinels normally only did so with Guides when emotions were involved because otherwise he could have fallen into a zone despite his natural ability not to.

The next few years had been amazing to him, he had the best he could ever want, a partner who didn’t mind the fact he liked to shoot bad people and who could keep up with him. Hell, at one point he had considered asking John to fully bond with him. Then had come the attack that had taken his partner from him and he had found himself at a loss. 

The first time he had met his Guide he had been flabbergasted, John might have been a good match for him, but Jim was a perfect match for him. The only problem was Jim was actually one of those bad people he would have prefer to kill than deal with. Boy had that caused him a lot of stress in the early days of their working relationship. To his advantage however was the fact he was an atypical Sentinel with minor Guide abilities, it meant that the empathy and telepathy that many Guides including Jim employed to track his emotions did not actually work on him, he could project whatever emotions he needed in order to not cause waves. 

As the car pulled up to the flat he got out, giving the driver a tip despite the fact he had already paid double. Two sharp knocks on the door later and the sandy-blonde was pulling the door open for him. Despite the amount of time it had been since the last time they had been intimate and the last time his doctor had patched him up he automatically recognized when John scanned him over with his doctor trained Sentinel abilities before directing him up to the second story where the flat actually was. 

His first impression when he steps into the flat is overwhelming. His senses nearly go into overdrive from the scents within the flat, not to mention the clutter. If he had been a normal Sentinel he would been screwed. As it was he was fighting back the zone but just barely. 

Spotting the sofa he strides over to it, happy to see that it seems to be plain enough before he begins to strip out of his ruined shirt. Thankfully the slash is thin and the shirt will still protect him from the elements though it is summer so it is not as needed as it would be in the fall or winter. “Nice flat, I am guessing that the clutter is from your Sentinel? You were never this messy.” He eventually inquires as he sits down slowly. His back is killing him.

Snorting his short partner remarks, “Yeah, but he’s doing better about it, for someone with such an organized mind I am not sure how he deals with this disaster. Here, give me that, I have some soap that works great for getting blood out. Have to when ones flat-mate likes to chase criminals around on foot. Never know what’s going to happen.”

He chuckles low in his throat but the pain of his muscle moving makes him fall silent but not before a groan manages to escape him. He had always hated appearing weak and almost wanted to be insulting just to show he wasn’t but this was John and it wouldn’t work so he didn’t bother. While the doctor is out of the room he allows himself a moment of cringing at the disaster surrounding him before the other man returns. With a bit of an OCD problem this flat was driving his senses nuts but he was going to ignore it because his partner was here and was helping him out. 

In the back of his mind he can just about feel the amusement from the sandy-blonde as he returns from putting the clothes in the washer. On the table by the sofa he spots an entire first aid kit including all the things needed to perform most minor surgeries it seems. How like his partner to over prepare. 

“Spin a bit so your back is to the arm rest and scoot forward,” he is commanded from nearby. The only person who had ever successfully snuck up on him since he had developed his Sentinel traits was John, and apparently that was still true.

Doing as directed he presents his back to the shorter man, barely containing his flinch when his partner sets to cleaning it up. He had not realized quite how bad it was until he felt John working on it. There is barely any speaking as his doctor cleans him up though he does inquire after how it had occurred and if he really wanted to know what happened to those who had did it. With his normal easy-going way he tells him about the attack by the dealer. Chuckling, his shorter friend goes to make tea and while he is doing so his Sentinel gets up and comes to the living room. 

His first impression of his partner’s choice is that he is like Jim. In a flash the other Sentinel rattles off the important details of his life, before getting stuck on the fact that he used to be lovers with John. In the other Sentinel’s voice he can hear the worry, fear, and jealousy that his flat-mate might leave. According to his comments however, he does not know the doctors secret and he does not plan to be the one to reveal it. Instead he allows John to answer, staying quiet while his friend replies and his clothes are washing. However he can say nothing but “Oh,” during that explanation. It is rather startling that his response had been the same as the other Sentinels even in tone. 

After John is done with explanation he goes to shift the shirt from the washer to the dryer before making more tea. While he is doing so, the other Sentinel decides to challenge him it seems and the two end up in a staring contest that the doctor breaks up once he has the tea. 

Trying to lighten the mood he remarks, “It’s the jumpers, they make a person forget what kind of a pain in the arse you are.” 

Amusement flows easily between him as the sandy-blonde replies sweetly, “I might be a pain in the arse, but you enjoyed every minute of it.”

The look on the other Sentinel’s face is priceless, he really did not wish to know that their relationship had gone both ways. For a few minutes the younger Sentinel studies him before finally demanding, “You realize that he works for Moriarty?”

Apparently the doctors nonchalant response of “Of course, immaterial, we’re partners,” surprises him.

At nearly the same time he had answered, “So? Your brother is the biggest annoyance in the world but you don’t see me making a big deal about it. You’re not far behind either.”

The youngest of them looks between him and his partner before demanding, “What is being partners have to do with anything? Everyone knows Mycroft is annoying.” He waves off that comment like it is nothing, focusing on the word partners instead.

Getting pissed at the younger Sentinel who dares challenge his partner, he snaps, “What he means is we do not harm each other or those that the other cares for.”

It was going to be difficult, particularly since they seemed to have picked enemies for potential-bondmates but whatever. They would work it out even if they had to force the other two to deal with each other. Nearly the rest of his visit is in silence as the youngest of them considers what he has said. Apparently he had given the Sentinel food for thought. Meanwhile, he has one of those old conversations he used to have with John that were done purely through empathy and emotions without ever using a word. Within it they discussed the fact that they both had insane potential-bondmates, how they were going to get them to stop feuding, and what they should do next with themselves. Of course, since it was completely with empathy, it came across on the link between them as considerations of the statements made and wasn’t a real conversation but he had long before accepted them as just as good as speaking when making choices. 

About the same time the dryer stops his phone starts ringing, he knows it his boss and answers accordingly. A large part of him knows the type of problems this could cause but doesn’t care. His partner is worth far more than a potential-bondmate, though he really does hope to resolve things so he can keep both. good thing John has always been good at planning, perhaps he will be able to see a way out of this shit-filled situation that they have found themselves in.

His short friend smiles at him as he slips his now, nearly perfectly clean, shirt back on and sighs in pleasure at the warmth of it against his aching flesh. Perhaps tonight he will be able to take it easy though he really doubts it. After they have a quick chat farewell he heads to his boss’s flat, taking a cab to get there. 

While he does not look his best, he is not worried about it because there is always a change of clothes kept ready for him. 

Almost as soon as he steps into the flat he knows that there is something wrong, his boss’s emotions seem to nearly be vibrating and he is the only one there.

“What the hell were you doing with another Guide?” the other man snarls at him, his brown eyes nearly black with rage, his voice is nearly a hiss. “I can feel it.”

Despite the empathic shields that he normally has he can feel the energy pour off of him and allows them to drop so not to completely give away his secret. Nearly as soon as he does he finds himself on his knees, clenching his teeth so not to make noise at the pain that shoots through him from the gash in his back. 

“Answer me!” he is commanded and thanks the stars that John had once done this to him so he was familiar with it even if he really did not like it. 

“I had a doctor stitch me up, a drug dealer tried to remove my spine.” He replies keeping it exact without saying who had actually stitched him up. Until John had an idea of what they could do to stop the feud, he did not want his partner pulled into this. 

“Show me,” the Guide snarls again, disbelief plain in his voice. 

Carefully, so not to rip the stitches he removes his shirt and motions to his back, he knows that there is a long bandage and a moment later the Guide is peeling it off of him to see the mark below it. As if a switch has been flipped, the anger that had been pouring from his Guide vanishes to be replaced by something akin to concern. 

Slender fingers run the length of it, brushing the skin on either side without actually touching it. He can feel the smaller man’s breath against it as well, “My poor Bastian, why didn’t you have one of my doctors fix it?”

“You had made it clear that they were not for frivolous or non-work injuries, I wished to follow that directive.” He replies. Despite the pain in his spine he is become aroused by the closeness of his Guide, while their link is not complete, hell it doesn’t even exist, just the brush of something like it makes him wish to protect the smaller man and bond with him. All of his instincts desire to claim him, though he does nothing of the sort.

Silence falls but he hears as the slender man heads to the bathroom, since he had not been given permission to move, he holds perfectly still, waiting to see what is to happen next. He is rather surprised when Jim comes back with a wet, warm cloth and begins to work it against his tense muscles, releasing some of the tension. He is even more surprised when the slender man re-bandages him.

“You’re not happy Bastian, I feel it.” again the smaller man falls silent but he says nothing as he waits, “I want you happy. I don’t care if the rest of the world burns in pain, I want you happy. Why aren’t you happy?” 

Silence seems to be the best option. How does one tell their boss that they are in love with them. That they wish to bond with them? That they really wish that their boss would stop obsessing over a different Sentinel? Since he cannot think of the answers to those questions he remains silent instead. It seems to be the only option. 

Finally the shorter man walks around to the front of him, stopping to stare at him for a few minutes while he thinks. He knows that he is being studied in the same fashion as when the younger Sentinel had looked at him but he does nothing, not wishing to give away any more than he has to. He might be loyal to Jim, but he was equally loyal to John. 

“You wish to bond with me. Why?” shock and curiosity fill the younger man’s voice as he realizes his motives. 

Again he is not sure if he should answer, how does he answer that question? Particularly when he is sure that right now bonding would be the worst choice he could make no matter how much his body and instincts desired it. 

“You’re not answering me.” the softness in his tone has been replaced by anger, and he knows that soon his body will take the punishment for that anger but he still says nothing. 

Screaming, the shorter man lashes out with his empathy, sending him from his knees to all fours as his body folds upon himself. This time he cannot stop the groan of pain that escape. Since he is damned either way he determines it is best not to say anything, just to remain silent and allow the Guide to exercise his rage on him. So he is very surprised when there is not another attack. Instead he feels the force of the empathic attack leave him, knows that he could unfold himself now but holds still in case this is some sort of test. 

“Go away Bastian, I need to consider this further. I will have a job for you tomorrow.” He is ordered. He hates the sound of sadness that seems to infect his Guide’s voice but there is nothing to be done for it. 

Slowly getting to his feet, he turns and leave, heading to his flat just a few miles away on foot. Exhausted, he passes out on his bed but not before raising his shields to where they had been before Jim had lost his temper.


	5. Planning

  
oOo John’s POV oOo   


His walk takes him all over London before he finally returns home. However when he returns home, the Sentinel that he lives with is still lost deep in thought and he decides that they can discuss things the following day. Only that never happens because another case comes up. One that makes him grit his teeth as a dominatrix Guide attempts to seduce his Sentinel away. There ends up being many different times that he has to remind himself that Sherlock isn’t actually his.

Through all of this he continues to consider what he can do to help end the problems between his Sentinel and his partners Guide. There has to be a way to do it, it’s just a matter of figuring out what it is. Several times he had met up with his partner and the two of them had shared annoyance stories over what their respective potential was doing, each time they discussed the plans he was working on formulating and hoping that they can figure something out before it is too late. Of course there had been several times when the strawberry-blonde had come to him to get patched up as well, preferring him to any other doctor even when he really should go somewhere with better equipment and such.

As the days turn to weeks and the weeks into months he struggles because every time he has approached the taller man about the situation he is brushed off or ignored. At one point he had even considered moving out but he recalls the pain and possessiveness in Sherlock’s voice from the night he had patched Sebastian up and it stays his hand every time. For him to have reacted like that, there must be something developing between them, too bad he cannot get the lanky man to discuss it with him. 

Eventually, after months of dealing with the effects of the dominatrix and several other cases, the tall man finally seems to get closure. He thinks that maybe now they will discuss it, yet still they do not. Instead, he finds reasons to be elsewhere. Not long after that they end up in Baskerville chasing after imaginary hounds that end up being nothing more than regular dogs and a rather potent drug in the air. He is even aware of when the Sentinel tries to drug him due to his atypical status. 

Had it not been for the apology he had received he probably would have given up and left him at that point. After all, why should he stick around if really was worth nothing to the tall Sentinel? He would be better served being on his own then in a situation where he often found himself feeling hopeless. Yet there had been a plea in his voice when he had apologized. It had almost seemed as if he had asking for more time. Since he was a sucker for his Sentinel he determined to give him time, after all what other choice did he have if he really wanted him.

Then had come the call.

oOo Sebastian’s POV oOo

In the months since the incident by the pool he had felt like he was on a never ending rollercoaster that was getting ready to crash at any time. Despite that, it had been one of the best times of his life. While he had not bonded with his Guide he had been able to spend more time with him, even occasionally allowed to show his affection to the smaller man when he was feeling particularly generous. He also had lots of times where he was able to spend time with his partner as well. Between the two, he was feeling rather balanced though he often felt the chaos that his partners Sentinel caused him and wanted to rip into the other Sentinel for being a fool but didn’t. They had to plan this carefully so that they were both able to get the one they wanted.

The one big advantage he had was at least he got regular sex out of his Guide even if it did often leave him feeling worse than had he not. Still, it was better than nothing. At times he consider seeing if John would like to do something, anything just to get the smaller man to relax but he really did not want to repeat what had happened the last time John had prolonged his touch on his skin and the beating he had gotten for it. No never mind the only reason the doctor had touched him was he had gotten shot and had decided that it was better to have his partner take care of him rather than going to the hospital. It was just one of the many times he had turned to his partner for his medical attention rather than go to one of his boss’s doctors. 

For the most part Jim left him out of his dealings if they involved innocents because the guide knew that he would not harm someone he thought did not deserve it in some way. Real funny when you consider the fact he was now an sniper assassin, but that generally meant he wouldn’t go after pregnant women or children. Pretty much everyone else was free game when it came to his sniper rounds. It had seemed like there were new jobs for him nearly daily and he did nearly all of them, using his skills as a sniper to accomplish them with ease. He had a whole host of untraceable guns so it was not like it was a bad idea for him. 

When he had gotten back from his last mission in Russia he had even considered shooting Mycroft Holmes when his boss had been arrested but he had been ordered not to do anything. Apparently his boss had planned to use his arrest as a way to frame the lanky Sentinel that his partner loved. 

Oh shit, apparently they had far less time than he thought in order to do something about the two of them. So after receiving his order to shoot John if the Sentinel would not kill himself at the appointed time he had bolted home, his mind automatically reaching for his partners, telling him that he was going to call the special phone that he had gotten years ago during their time in Afghanistan. 

That was one phone call he hoped never to repeat. “Where can we meet that neither genius will follow us?” was the first thing he had said when he had gotten his partner on the phone. Silence was his answer for a few minutes but he did not hang up because he knew that it meant the atypical Guide was working out the information in his head the same way he would have one of their battle plans. 

“That place all of our kind hates, it should be safe enough there. Be there in one hour.” The doctor had finally replied before hanging up. As a sniper he was not a fan of open spaces but completely understood why he had suggested that they meet in the military graveyard, he could go see some of his fallen comrades. It was a perfect reason for him to be there, and if he just happened to run into a friend while he was there, well that friend probably lost comrades too.

Exactly one hour later he was waiting by the grave of the other Guide that he had worked with while in Afghanistan, a young man who really should have never been paired with him. Moments later his partner is standing next to him, his emotions and empathy tightly controlled as he stared at the ground between them. 

_What has happened?_ He asks using the empathic link between them to ensure no one can over hear. It had been one of those things they had tested long before. 

Sighing he stares at the grave as he replies, _Jim has decided I am to kill you if your Sentinel will not kill himself. I am not exactly sure when he plans for this to happen but it will be soon. Have you a plan?_

For a few minutes silence reigns between the two of them before the atypical Guide starts to walk down the line of graves, occasionally stopping to touch one. He knew that he is thinking, that there will be a plan and quite quickly knowing the doctor. 

_Do you have somewhere we can lock them? I have an idea, but it will require just the six of us being somewhere where there can be no outside interference._ The sandy-blonde finally comments.

 _Six? Jim, Sherlock, you, me, and who?_ He inquires as he considers the various safe houses that he has scattered across the city. Two of them are set up to hold prisoners but would they really be able to hold that particular pair prisoner?

_I’m calling the twins in. Here’s my suggestion, if there is somewhere we can take them we should attempt this. Step one, get them together, I am assuming since he wants Sherlock to commit suicide he plans to watch so that means they must be together for it to be a success. Step two, the two of us sends them both into a swoon and a zone at the same time. Since they do not have both sets of senses it will overwhelm them. This is where the twins come into the picture, I am certain that we will need an extra set of atypical to pull them out of the combined zone and swoon. We do not pull them out until the pair are firmly locked somewhere where they cannot break free._

He pauses for a moment, considering his plans before continuing. _From there we will make them a deal, they can go free as soon as they complete the respective bond with us, and when they are willing to stop trying to kill each other. Instead Sherlock will continue to work his cases and your Jim will continue to be a criminal mastermind, the only difference is he will thin the herd so to speak. He’s known for his erratic behavior, so if he wants to continue being an insane criminal mastermind, let’s make him a thief-taker like in the old days of the Runners. He can take out the drug heads and truly despicable bad people with complete freedom to do whatever he wants to them on the condition that he leaves those that are innocent alone and murders only those that truly deserve it. After all, as a criminal mastermind he would be in a perfect position to kill off the competition that no one would really comment on it._

Finally the smaller man falls silent again, allowing him a chance to consider the option that he had been present with. It might actually work. It would keep the pair in competition but they would not have to hide their partnership any longer, it would be perfect. He just had to make sure none of the other snipers and assassins were able to interfere.

 _It’s a plan. How will we communicate?_ He eventually agrees, liking the idea. 

_We’ll use empathy-telepathy. Great thing about us is how far we can reach and still communicate clearly without others being able to listen in._

Nodding once, he shares a smile with the other blonde that had any of their old comrades seen would have said was terrifying and meant that someone was about to go through hell. Instead it was just the two of them with the dead, he had been keeping his enhanced senses on high alert, watching and listening to make sure that they were not being monitored while they had their exchange. 

Without another word to his partner he nods once, wandering away in towards his car, they had come in from different sides of the cemetery so that anyone following them would not realize that they had intentionally come for a meeting. This is also back up by the fact neither had said a word aloud. Since very few were actually able to use telepathy with anyone other than their bondmate they were not worried about someone catching on that way either. Besides, if he knew the doctor, he had been monitoring the area for any other Guides strong enough to use telepathy. 

It might not be the safest plan, but at least he had hope. Now he just had to go make sure that the second safe house was ready to hold their two guests. Better prepare for all possible situations.

oOo John’s POV oOo

He had been toying with his plan for a few months, not quite happy with it but still sure that it was their best chance of getting their respective Sentinel and Guide to do what they want. Of course both geniuses could probably find a way to derail the plan, but it was his fervent hope that was not what was going to happen. He would have to make sure that did not happen.

With that in mind he walked back to where he had the taxi drop him off, pulling his second phone out as he went. From memory he dialed a number he had not expected to ever need. On the second ring the phone had been picked up but nothing was said. Instead he entered in the code two-four-eight-six-zero before pressing the pound to send it. 

A moment later a soft female voice he had not heard in years comes across the line, “Cat here, what’s the call?”

“The calls a hawk pretending to be a sparrow seeking a leopard,” he replies recalling the code with ease. He had been the hawk because of his personality.

“Its good to hear from you Hawk, its been too long, what do you need?” she replies, her voice serious.

“If possible I need a set of ferrets to help me out, I seem to be in a sticky situation with a Guide that’s just not working the way I want.”

“We’ll be there in the morning. Expect a link.” She responds, her voice full on concern.

“My thanks, I will be expecting that text.” He answers her before hanging up. 

Everything would be set in motion, he better make sure that his medical kit was ready because with geniuses it was never a sure thing that things would go smoothly. Now he just had to wait.


	6. Catching Geniuses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the lovely people who have read and subscribed or bookmarked the story line, I hope you all are enjoying, does anyone have a favorite part or part they hate most so far?

oOo John’s POV oOo

Late the next day he feels something he hadn’t felt in nearly a decade, the brush of another atypical Guide against his shields. It is her way of telling him that they are here. Focusing, he links, getting the address from her before alerting his partner. Just a short while later the pair are there and being let into the room. One quick look later has him smiling as the small blonde woman pulls him into a tight hug before releasing him. Behind her, the dark-haired man offers a hand and the two shake while his partner steps in.

“This must be your falcon,” she murmurs as she looks at him in an appreciative manner, “If we weren’t here for a purpose I am certain I’d try to woo you,” she tells the tall strawberry-blonde who gives her a curios look.

Shutting the door, he allows his sense to fan wide for a moment before making the introductions, “This is the cat and her, twin the ferret. Still using your old name names or do you have new ones now?”

She flashes a grin, eyes gleaming, “Current name is Mary,” she replies offering her hand to his partner who is chuckling. 

“Sebastian,” he replies as he accepts the hand shake. 

Her twin chuckles, offering his hand next, “Bill, and I keep my name or some variation of it, it’s nice to meet you.” again the tall man chuckles 

For a few minutes the three of them play catch up, after all it had been a long time since they had last been in contact with each other. When they are done with that their conversation turns to the purpose for this visit, dealing with the potential mates and the headaches they are currently causing. A media blitz had been started against his Sentinel which was causing all sorts of uproar. All of it was controlled by his partners Guide. Over all it wasn’t a problem, it could be dealt with, it was just a bit of a nuisance as they would need a way to distract the media so they could pull of their kidnapping to the two geniuses. In quick order he explains his plan to the twins, and the four of them share a similar scary smile before Sebastian offers to show them to where they will be needed most. 

Almost as soon as they reach the safe house both his and his partners phones go off from their respective genius. With a groan they both tell the twins bye before heading to where they need to be. Immediately upon getting there the chaos really begins. Everything that could go wrong seems to and if not for the fact he had a plan, he would have been tearing his hair out. 

The fact that the detective inspector who was supposed to be his friend turned on his Sentinel bothered him far more than the rest of the fools who he had expected to do their worst whenever they thought that they would be able to. Still, they had managed to get away from the police and where hiding out in Molly’s lab while his Sentinel flat-mate determine what to do next and broke the code. While he was doing that, he waited for contact from his partner. As soon as it was time they would put their plan in motion and he would tell the twins it was a go. It wasn’t long he had to wait.

Not long into the following morning his phone goes off, it is a call from some stranger telling him that Mrs. Hudson has been shot, almost as soon as the phone goes off he feels the presence of his partner before the connection is made.

 _She’s fine, I sent the twins after the two other snipers so that they would be stopped, which just leaves you and me to play tag with them. Roof top in fifteen minutes. Act like your leaving, then circle around to the back so you can come up here, I will be on top of the door house with my rifle to deal with any problems that may arise._ His partner tells him, voice soft in his mind as he fills him in. 

_Alright, on the way now,_ he replies to his tall partner. Aloud he comments, “Er, what?” to the man on the other end of the phone. 

Again the man on the other end repeats the message before he comments, “Is she okay?” he pauses listening for the response, “Oh my God. Right, yes, I’m coming.”

His Sentinel turns to look at him, a curios look on his face. He had been listening but not fully listening so he had only heard part of the conversation, “What is it?”

“Paramedics Mrs. Hudson’s, she’s been shot” he replies knowing that what was to follow was not going to be what his Sentinel expected. He would play along only long enough to get the two feuding typical to the roof, then it was time for a game changer. 

Eyes widen as the taller man demands, “What? How?”

Infusing a lot of franticness into his voice he responds, “Well, probably one of the killers you managed to attract ... Jesus. Jesus. She’s dying, Sherlock. Let’s go.”

The taller man’s eyes narrow and it doesn’t take using his empathy to realize that the Sentinel has decided it is fake, even though he does not say so aloud it’s there in his tone as he goes from worried to disinterested, “You go. I’m busy.”

Giving a convincing look of being shocked he repeats, “Busy?”

“Thinking, I need to think,” the Sentinel replies as he turns away, his focus returning to his phone.

Frustrated, he heads towards the door without saying anything else, he knows that there is about to be a meeting between his partners Guide and his Sentinel. His sharper than average senses hear as the phone goes off in the taller mans pocket. Silently he makes his way out of the building but then goes around, using his empathy to make folks look right past him, a nifty trick that he had developed in the war zone. 

As he sneaks back into the hospital, his partner alerts him that the pair are on the roof and speaking. It takes him less time than one would think for him to get up there though he does not yet go through the door, instead he mutes his body’s reactions as best as possible, the same way that his sniper partner does in order to not be noticed by other Sentinels. Afterwards he keens his senses in, listen closely to the conversation on the roof. Jim is trying to convince him to kill himself and he determines its time. 

Now! Shoving the door open, he lashes out with an empathic wave just as his partner does the same. One quick burst of speed and he has caught his tall Sentinel even as his partner catches his Guide. Both dark haired men are sway in their arms, their minds currently being overrun with emotion, now that they have their attention he reaches out with his mind and locks onto each man’s sense of sight in turn forcing it to focus purely on him. Then, with ease made of years of working together in the desert the two of them lead their respective partners off of the roof and out of the building. Minutes later they are at the street level and getting into a sleek car that reminds him of Mycroft but he is certain is not the tall Sentinel’s brother based on the plan they had put in place. On the ride to the safe house they end up having to rezone and reswoon both of them on multiple occasions because they keep trying to break free of it. 

“It’s a good thing that the ones we used to catch were not this stubborn or our missions never would have been as smooth as they went.” He remarks after the third time they have to send Jim into his mind. 

“True enough,” his partner grumbles but pulls his potential a bit closer to him, wanting to keep contact with him while he is defenseless. 

Thankfully the trip goes quickly and the two of them are guiding their potentials into the safe zone where they are placed within safety glass rooms on beds before the pair back out and seal the doors. Before cleaning themselves up and making sure that there is nothing left they will need. There is no real idea how long it is going to take to convince the pair of geniuses that this is the best plan to go with.

When they get back from taking their respective showers both are surprised to see that the geniuses had broken free of their minds on their own. 

“Sebastian! What the hell do you think you are doing?” the dark-haired Guide demands as he wobbly stands by the door. “Let me out this minute or I will skin you!” he hisses angrily. 

“Sorry, James, you’re staying in there, same as Sherlock.” He answers in his partners place. 

Its rather comical when the genius turns his attention on him, eyes widening as he attempts to thrust his Guides empathy at him. Smiling sweetly he waits while the other Guide wears himself out, knowing that he is not going to fold any time soon. 

“Get some tea for us would you? I think its going to be a while,” he queries of the strawberry-blonde, turning his back on the dark haired Guide who starts screaming threats at him. 

“Sure, any particular flavor?” his partner replies, eyes flickering uneasily to his boss and potential partner. 

He shakes his head, “Nope, just hot and tea.”

A smirk curves the other blonde’s lips at that, being reminded of the past. With an easy gait he heads off to wherever the kitchen is to make the tea. While his partner does that, he turns his attention back to the other short Guide and walks causally over to the glass.

“Let’s have a talk, James.” He remarks as he stands there at military ease staring at the other one. “You can scream, shout, and try to attack with your empathy all day long, its going to fail each and every time. It is not going to get that door opened any faster, and don’t even bother thinking that you are going to overwhelm his Sentinel protective senses to get him to help you, it’s not happening.”

“I am going to skin you slowly,” the other Guide snarls at him, “There is no way in hell whatever your foolish little mind came up with will work.”

He smirks, narrowing his eyes and focusing on the other’s mind, a moment later he sends one sharp bolt of empathy between them, slashing into the other Guides shields with ease before continuing past to cut into his mind. A high pitched scream escapes the dark-haired Guide as he grips his head and his knees buckle. 

“Some rules to live by. Rule one: you do not threaten me, my partner or my best friend. Rule two: have some manners, I have no problem striking back because in the long term it will not be harmful to you. Rule three: think very carefully before opening your mouth.” About that point he releases the grip he had on Jim’s mind, allowing him to breath easily.

A moment later a rather tense strawberry-blonde returns carrying a tray full of various teas. His light eyes flicker to his Guide before returning to him, pain is shared on their link.

 _I am sorry Sebastian, I know we do not hurt those the other cares for but I think he really needed to realize that he is not the one in control. If you wish when this is over you can force me to feel the same,_ he apologizes and offers the tall atypical. 

Subtly the other man shakes his head passing out three of the four teas, _No, I understand. Give Jim his would you?_

 _Of course._ He replies as he sets the tea he had just taken a sip of down before picking up the other one. 

On the wall to the prison room there is a small panel that can be used to pass food into the room, it only moves in one direction and cannot be opened from the inside. Carefully he sets it down for the other Guide before closing his side back up. Surprisingly enough Sherlock has said nothing about the situation that they are in, his multicolored eyes merely watching everything as they deal with the situation. 

For the next little bit everyone is silent as they drink their respective teas. When the twins get back, he feels them ask permission to enter before they actually do so. However almost as soon as they come in Mary decides to look over their captives. Her sharp eyes carefully studying both of them. 

“Damn boys, you have good tastes,” she murmurs appreciatively. “Care to share?”

“Fuck you,” his partner retorts as he answers abruptly, “No.”

She chuckles, flashing a grin at both before stating, “We’re going back to our hotel rooms, if you need anything you know how to reach us.”

“Thanks Mary, Bill. The assistance was appreciated, if you could keep an eye on the others for us that’d be great, and anything you could do to undo some of the fallback would be great too.” He replies giving the bright-blonde woman a hug. She hugs him back, brushing his mind with a reassuring feeling before nodding. 

A few minutes later the twins are gone, leaving just the four of them. Sighing Sebastian sprawls on his sofa starting at the two glass rooms thoughtfully. “So how we going to play this again?” he eventually inquires. 

He shrugs, “I’m giving them some time to think, plan and plot before I even bother trying to explain the plan to them. While I am mostly certain Sherlock will at least listen to it, not agree mind you, just listen, I doubt that James will be so easy to work with.”

“Alright,” his partner responds, “I’m going to take a nap then, wake me when you need sleep.”

He nods, grabbing a book and settling into a chair near the two glass rooms. Since he had forced Jim to his knees the other Guide had said nothing, instead he had sat there staring at him hatefully. For a while the only noises in the room is his slowly turning the pages as he reads, and the light snores from his partner on the sofa, the other two are silent though for different reasons.

“John,” his dark-haired Sentinel eventually mutters, catching his attention. 

Glancing over he sees that he has moved to sit on the floor by the glass closest to him. 

“Yeah Sherlock?” he replies, glancing at the book page number before closing it.

“What are you two doing? I cannot seem to work it out. There has to be a plan but with you two it’s hard to figure out what it is.” his flat-mate inquires. 

“Whatever they think they will accomplish will fail and for this betrayal I’ll kill him slowly, making him feel every inch of his death.” The dark-haired Guide snaps in answer.

Ignoring him, he replies, “We told you, we’re partners so we protect each other and the ones we care for. Since I care for you, and he cares for him, we had to come up with a way to deal with your little feud. So that’s what I did. Now we are just playing the waiting game with you two while I wait for him to get past the fury and into the curiosity I know will be hitting eventually. In the meantime the pair of you can stay in your respective rooms so we do not have to worry about either of you causing problems.”

Again he hears the other Guide snarl but he ignores it.

His Sentinel meanwhile just tilts his head thoughtfully before nodding once. 

He knows its going to be a very long night.


	7. Conversations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi folks, all sorts of communications are appreciated!

oOo John’s POV oOo

The next few days seem to pass in a blur as the four of them fall into a sort of pattern. Day guarding goes to either the Sebastian or the twins if the two of them have to work. Meal times are well established though both geniuses prefer to only drink tea or coffee rather than eat most of the time. During the early evening both of them are there and occasionally they try to draw the geniuses into the conversations but that does not always go as well as planned. Each night one, then the other is allowed out of their cell long enough to get cleaned up before being placed back into their cell. Apparently the threat of being mindless is enough to keep them inline during this, because the dark-haired Guide only tried to escape once. Night shift of making sure their geniuses behave falls to John who is able to withstand the various physic attacks that the other Guide keeps throwing their way. Most the time, he just allows the attack to slide, ignoring it like a child throwing a trantum, however he has a problem any time the other Guide goes after either of the Sentinels in the flat and that’s when he tends to strike back, slashing into the dark-haired Guide with his own gift until he is on his knees and wanting to be freed.

“You’ll catch on eventually that your attack plan will not work. Or I will keep retaliating every time you go after one those two I will return the pain to you.” he tells the other Guide sometime during the fourth day. 

A few minute later his partner comes stumbling in with a look of relief on his face the moment he spots him. “Good thing your home, patch me up would you? I had to remind a few people today just because he wasn’t seeable currently did not mean the boss was not still the boss.” The strawberry-blonde grumbles as he strips off his shirts and tosses them on the ground.

Shaking his head, he fetches the kit that he had put together when he first started working with his impulsive Sentinel. “Take a seat,” he directs the taller atypical before laying out his kit on the table. Carefully looking over the various knife wounds and the one gun wound, he shakes his head chuckling. “Only you can manage to get stabbed and shot and still swagger around like you own the place.” He states.

From the cells he can feel the anger pouring off of the other Guide, and if not for the fact he was a minor Sentinel, he might have missed the growled, “Who dared? I’ll rip them apart and skin them.”

A chuckle escapes all three of them at that, though he can tell that it hurts his partner to do so. 

“Try not to laugh too much, I’m trying to patch you up here.” He tells the taller blonde as he continues to clean one of the knife wounds. 

The strawberry-blonde waves his hand around a bit as he mutters, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’ve heard that before.”

Shaking his head, he returns to cleaning the knife wound and preparing it to be stitched up. It’s just deep enough to need to be sewn so that’s what he does. Through it, he keeps his senses tuned between the Sentinel he is working on and the Guide pacing his cell without his eyes ever leaving said Sentinel. Oh yeah, there is a good chance this plan can work if they can just get the dark-haired Guide to agree. When he is done patching the taller man up he directs him to go to bed, which he does with little fuss, however he can hear that he is not actually resting.

 _What’s wrong?_ He inquires of the other blonde, still keeping an eye out on the trapped Guide who seems to be more agitated then he has been in since the first night in the cell.

 _I can’t sleep. I keep wanting to curl up with someone and,_ the strawberry-blonde mind voice trails off tiredly.

 _Bring some bedding and come out here, lets annoy our two boys._ He suggests to the other atypical as he considers the types of reaction they will probably get. Still, his partner needs to rest, which he is not currently getting. Not that he is surprised. The taller man had always been a bit tactile, which is common for Sentinels with their enhanced senses. 

So in preparation of a good cuddle and lets frustrate the trapped ones, he shoves the sofa and table out of his way and grabbed the cushions off of the sofa to make a pallet with before grabbing the ones off of the chairs as well. Once he has done that he makes tea for everyone, and hands them out at nearly the same time that his strawberry-blonde partner exits the bedroom carrying an arm load of pillows and blankets. Silently, he passes out the tea, directing the tall man to take a seat while he finishes the pallet. A few minutes later he clicks off most of the lights, leaving only the ones within the cells to the currently trapped Guide and Sentinel’s.

“Come here Sebastian,” he murmurs to the taller blonde a he stretches out on the cushions and blanket pallet that he has made up. 

For a moment the strawberry-blonde’s eyes flicker between him and the two trapped ones before he finally nods, and comes over to the pallet from his chair. Stripping off his over shirt and boots, he stretches out, careful of the new injuries and John carefully fits himself beside the taller atypical, running a comforting hand down the taller man’s back. From the cell holding the other Guide he can hear growling and cursing. Despite that his partner fades into sleep, from the feel of his mind, the first real sleep he has had in a long while. 

Eventually he hears his dark-haired Sentinel snap, “We wouldn’t be in this situation if you were not so emotional. Stop complaining.”

“I’m not emotional!” the Guide snarls. 

“Are you not? Look at you. You’re pacing like a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. They were lovers long before we entered the picture but barely touch each other now. This is the first time in the last several months I have seen them have more than a causal touch when John is patching him up.” he hears his Sentinel remark, he can feel the dark-haired man’s eyes drifting over the two of them. 

Just because he is making sure that his partner rests does not mean he is asleep. Instead, he is keeping his Sentinel senses trained on the two locked in the cells while his Guide sense are locked onto his partner. 

He can see the pair of geniuses having one of those out thinking each other conversations while he continues to sooth the strawberry-blonde. Finally, they seem to come to some sort of understanding because suddenly the Guide turns towards them, dark eyes not really seeing but staring right at them. “You have a plan, one you said you were waiting for me to be curious about. What is it?”

Checking on Sebastian to make sure he was deep asleep, he carefully scoots back, but brushes the taller man with his empathy to let him know he will be right back before he makes his way to the edge of the two glass cells. 

“He likes to track criminals, you like to run criminals. My suggestion is that you both keep doing so, however as a challenge to you, James, you cannot go after anyone who is actually innocent. You’re well known for your random nature. Use it against the other criminals.” He pauses for a moment, “Past that, we both wish to bond with our respective pain in the arse genius, at which point we will link the two of you together.”

Both geniuses stare at him, his genius with a thoughtful expression in his eyes but an otherwise blank face, while his partner’s genius is has a calculating look to his eyes. 

Finally the dark-haired Guide queries, “What happens when our paths cross?” 

He grins mischievously, “Well depending on which one of you it is, is the answer. If it is Sherlock who catches one of yours, they go to Lestrade. If it’s you catching someone turning, well I have heard you like to skin people and make an example out of them.”

Both Sentinel and Guide look at each other in confusion before looking back at him, it’s his Sentinel that remarks, “That’s a bit ruthless for a doctor.”

“Soldier and doctor. Everyone forgets the soldier part. I can use a gun nearly as well as him, there is a reason we were partners for five years.” He retorts, “Besides, it keeps both of you challenged. Occasionally it will even give you cause to team up together, say to annoy Mycroft for example.”

This time it is the two geniuses who look mischievous as they glance at each other. With a smile, he returns to where he was laying next to the other atypical, leaving them to think about it, they can discuss it in the morning after everyone has had some time to think on it. Apparently the other two agree with this because neither says anything else, instead they get comfortable in their respective beds, he feels the Guide fall asleep, and carefully checks him to make sure he really is sleeping while his Sentinel goes into his Mind Palace instead. He is probably reviewing all of the possibilities of the offer.

Just a short while later he drifts off to sleep as well, though he still has his senses on high alert so he will know if either tries anything. When morning comes he is the first one to be actively awake, probably due to too long working with people who just don’t appreciate sleep. Stretching, he kisses the back of the strawberry-blondes shoulder before getting up and making breakfast with tea for the four of them. He has just finished cooking when he hears his partner stirring. While he is cooking he makes a quick call to the twins, asking them to stand guard outside of the flat so that they can have the two geniuses out for a bit which they easily agree to. A few minutes later the taller blonde is in the kitchen with him, giving him a quick hug after taking all of the sleeping things back to the room and righting the living room.

 _Thank you John,_ the taller blonde tells him as he releases the hug, _Something feels different. What did I miss?_

 _He finally got curious._ He replies, _We will be discussing it over breakfast. Lock the doors, I was thinking that we should let them out this morning while we eat. If need be we can always send them back into their heads._

The strawberry-blonde nods, locking the doors with the keys before slipping them under the door, and he hears Mary lift the keys even before she tells him. Once she has the keys, he uses his combine senses in order to open the locks on each of the doors, a trick that the pair had picked up long before. The door to the dark-haired Sentinel’s cell swings opens. Then he turns to the other cell, raising a questioning eyebrow before opening the other cell door to the dark-haired Guide’s cell. His Sentinel steps out first, pacing around the room before finding a seat in one of the armchairs. The Guide is slower to come out, a curious expression lighting his mildly manic eyes.

“I’ll make tea,” he volunteers, going into the kitchen to do so. 

When he is done making the tea, he takes the tea out to the living room where his partner is leaning against a wall tensely while the two geniuses are sitting in the armchairs staring at each other. 

“Here you go,” he tells them as he hands out the teas, “Should we eat breakfast or should we have this conversation first?” he queries. 

“Conversation first,” his dark-haired Sentinel responds before the other two have a chance to say anything. 

He nods, glancing to his partner, who nods in response. So he settles on the sofa, motioning the taller blonde next to him. After he settles onto the sofa as well he looks between the geniuses and smiles. 

“So, do I need to go over what I said last night or can I assume the two with eidetic memories recall what I said last night, so what do you two have to say?” he queries, sending out a small wave of reassurance to his partner. 

For a few minutes no one says anything, he is about to wonder if he needs to repeat himself when the criminal mastermind asks, “Were you serious about everything you said last night?” 

“Of course, it makes everyone happy. You two get to keep competing against each other. He gets to catch criminals. You get to rule criminals. I get my choice of Sentinel. Blondey here get’s his choice of Guide. We all drive Mycroft insane for the kicks of it.” he replies. 

“Well I agree. Then I won’t have to be bothered by the idea of losing my assistant.” His dark-haired Sentinel murmurs.

More time passes before the other genius nods, agreeing, “I can agree to those terms. I get Bastian and to keep enjoying myself. You get Sherlock and he gets to enjoy himself. It is a good deal. Neither of us end up dead. Annoying Mycroft is a bonus.”

It’s actually the strawberry-blonde who suggests. “Since we all agree, how about we head to our separate bedrooms and have a pleasant make up time while completing the bond?” 

He chuckles, a deep throaty sound that attracts the attention of both of the Sentinels in the room. This apparently annoys the other Guide who jumps to his feet, stalks over to the sofa, grabs his partners arm and hauls him away.


	8. Bonding: John to Sherlock

oOo John’s POV oOo

He chuckles as the tall strawberry-blonde is pulled into the room that they had not been using for sleeping in. He is moderately certain that they had been using Sebastian’s room within the safe house, which means that James had dragged his partner into his room. With a grin, he stands up, offering his hand to his potential Sentinel. His smile grows when Sherlock accepts his hand and the two of them make their way to the second bedroom, the one that the two atypical had been sleeping in when they were not on watch or otherwise working.

Apparently his partner had set the room up when he had returned the blankets and pillows because the bed has been made with unused bedding, a thing of lube, and a box of condoms on the table next to the bed. 

“Are you sure?” he inquires of the taller man. 

His dark-haired Sentinel tilts his head to the side, commenting, “Of course, I,” his voice trails off. 

“You what Sherlock?” he queries, curious about how the rest of that sentence was supposed to go.

“I made a mistake when I told you I was married to my work. It was just. You were a Sentinel. I was concerned that you would end up in a zone if we ever tried anything. Past that, I was not accustomed to anyone appreciating my abilities. I did not want to risk that on allowing my transport its needs.” His dark-haired Sentinel tells him as he begins to unfasten his button down shirt. “But you’re not a Sentinel. You’re a Guide. You’re my Guide.” He continues, his voice lowers, “I was just as jealous last night as Moriarty when I saw you curled up with the other Sentinel. Unlike the Guide, I could see it.” There is emphasis on the word see, as if it is the most important word in the sentence.

While his tall Sentinel is speaking, he is efficiently striping off all of his cloths, baring himself to the taller mans gaze. When he is done striping, about the same time as his Sentinel is done speaking, a soft smile curves his lips at the admissions he had spoken. It is rare to hear his Sentinel speak of his emotions or give into his physical needs. In the nearly two years together, he can count on one hand how many times he had smelled his Sentinel giving into his physical needs or coming home smelling like he had. Tilting his head a bit, his smile grows just a little at the struggling that his Sentinel seems to be going through to undress. So he steps close, nearly touching, and proceeds to unfasten his buttons for him as he speaks.

“You know, for the first long while I thought you realized I was atypical and just did not want to comment for some reason. Then after the pool incident I realized that you did not know and decided to tell you. Only it didn’t end up going as planned. Sebastian got hurt before I had a chance to tell you so you found out while I was in the middle of patching up my partner. I expected it to change things but it didn’t.” As he speaks he peppers little kisses across the lithe body of his Sentinel while he finishes undressing him. After a short pause he continues to speak, “I was so very happy that you did not seem to mind the fact I wasn’t a regular Guide or the fact that I kept spending time with my partner. Then the two of you decided to be silly so we had to act fast rather than build into what we wanted to do.” Again he pauses as he strips the pants and trousers off of his Sentinel, “Thank you for agreeing, even if your reasoning isn’t exactly the line I was desiring.”

Nearly as soon as he is done speaking and the Sentinel is bared to him, he is startled when the taller man scoops him up and lays him out carefully on the bed before proceeding to lick, kiss, nibble, and sniff his way around his body. During which time he is murmuring, “Reasoning. What better reasoning is there then never wishing to lose you? Is desiring to always have you love? Is hating every time someone else touches you love? Is my transport only wanting your touch when it craves pleasure love? Is needing to know that you are happy, that you are content love? Is being willing to do anything to ensure your safety love?” 

The tall man pauses as if taking a deep breath before continuing only he never gets a chance because he tugs him upwards and kisses him long and hard. By the time the both of them are done kissing they are both a bit breathless and both completely hard. 

Despite the momentary distraction, his Sentinel goes back to touching him everywhere, though he asks, “How do we bond? I deleted that because I never thought I was going to need it.”

Gasping for breath as the taller man’s long fingers encircle his cock, he replies, “You open all your senses to me while exploring and I open my shields to you at the same time, our minds will connect. After that, any time you need to use your full range of Sentinel abilities you will be able to do so without fear of zoning. If you do zone somehow, I will be able to pull you out without difficulties.”

The dark-haired Sentinel nods against his stomach, before looking up and inquisitively asking, “Do you ever zone or swoon?”

He gives a small shake of his head, “Not to date, I self regulate because I have both sets of abilities, same as Sebastian.” 

“Oh, so this is more for us then you.” his Sentinel mutters, a sense of sadness in him. 

Again he shakes his head, “No it’s for us too. We self regulate but we still feel like we’re missing something. James completes Sebastian, you complete me.”

A rare, real smile blooms on his Sentinel’s face as he processes and accepts that. Before he has time to really appreciate that smile, his Sentinel has returned to exploring him in detail, slithering down his body to his feet and starting over there. He feels the instance the taller man opens his senses to him and he returns the favor by allowing him within his shields. When their minds connect, it is almost ten times stronger than when he used to connect with Sebastian and leaves him breathless. Add to it the fact that his tall Sentinel seems determined to drive him mad.

Long slender fingers are carefully working the muscles in his legs, while he his nose and mouth are exploring his toes, arch, and heel. From there he switches to the other foot, giving it the same treatment before he starts working his way up his leg. Going from his foot to his ankle from his ankle to his knee before he switches to the other leg to repeat the process. With every touch he can feel the affection pouring off of the taller man and the link between them strengthening. Soon enough he is able to share his pleasure with Sherlock in the same manner as he had with Sebastian, and the first time he does so his new bondmate freezes in place, eyes widening as he stops and gasps against his upper leg before he seems to gain control and returns to working his way up his legs. eventually he gets from knee to hip on both legs completely touched and a mischievous smile curves the tall Sentinels lips as he returns to touching his cock. 

“Sher-lock,” he gasps out before deciding to switch to the link instead, _Sherlock! Keep that up and this is done before we even get anywhere._

His Sentinel’s smile grows, _That’s alright, we have all the time in the world. I want to taste you._

A combination of the brush of minds, those talented fingers and mouth, and the look he is giving him sends him over the edge. With a long moan, his body arches as he comes. Through it, his beautiful bondmate continues to touch and stroke him, and when he finally falls back to the bed, the tall man continues his explorations of him. Moving on from his member to his balls where he continues his explorations. Before kissing a wet trail up the top of his thigh and to stomach where he begins to continue his pattern, tracing every muscle and scar as if to memorize them. 

By the time the tall Sentinel gets to his throat he is a writhing mass of need and hard as a rock again much to his surprise. 

From his throat he moves up his jaw, peppering kisses everywhere he can touch before stopping to kiss him long and sensually on the mouth before working his way back down. On the trip down he takes the time to appreciate each arm in turn from shoulder to finger tip before carefully rolling him over to repeat the exploration of his back and spin. Down his back he goes before he gets to his arse where he takes the time to touch everything and all he can think is it is a really good thing he had clean both sides down there this morning before his mind goes blank from the pleasure. 

It had been years since another man had touched him there so the sensations where unusual as those talented long fingers carefully pull his arse checks open while his bondmate sniffs, licks, and nibbles at the area around his puckered hole before moving on to the actual hole. His exploration of said hole has him rutting against the need in need. So you can imagine how surprised he is when his Sentinel sits back on his heels and stares at him. 

"John,” the tall man’s baritone voice is rougher than normal, “I want you in me first. Show me how you like it.” A blush stains his cheeks as he continues, “I’ve never topped and I would rather wait until I have more control to do so.”

A bit dazed he nods, before tilting his head to the size inquisitively as he studies him. With a smile he pushes his tall Sentinel backwards on the bed, so he is laying flat on his back before giving a steady exploration of his new bondmate, using their link to discover what makes him mindless with need, what he is comfortable with, and uncomfortable with. So that when he gets to the point where he reaches over to grab the lube to prepare the tall Sentinel he is a mass of writhing pleasure as well. 

Barely steady, he lathers his fingers with lube before working the first one into his bondmates tight hole. Carefully moving it in and out he gets him ready for a second before he inserts it as well. With two fingers buried in his tightness, he slowly spreads them wide, to stretch him before carefully working a third in. It’s when the dark-haired Sentinel starts to beg that he finally pulls his fingers out. 

While he had been working him open he had also been sucking on his cock, teasing him with his tongue and teeth. When he feels that he is ready, he gives one last suck on it before shifting up his body to kiss him. When his breathless moans turn to keening need, he sits back on his heels, lifting the taller mans legs so that they were wrapped around his while he carefully works himself into the tight ring. Once he has the tip in the process of sliding the rest in goes slowly as he so in a slow round of thrusts and withdraws until he is finally buried to the hilt within him. 

After that his mind short circuits as the pleasure arches between them and sooner than expected the both of them are coming. Tiredly from all of the activity spent in the last little bit he carefully withdraws from his lover and Sentinel’s arse before collapsing beside him out of breath. 

For a while the two of them lay there, curled against each other before he finally gets the energy up to query, “Let’s take a shower together, there is an attached bathroom I noticed earlier.”

His Sentinel is slow to answer, but he does so with a smile and stretches a bit before rolling off of the bed. carefully, their bodies both a bit sore from the rigorous activities that they had just gone through, they make it to the shower where they take turns washing each other before getting out. 

As they are getting out he pulls the taller man’s head down to his, kissing him slowly and sensually before murmuring against his lips, “I love you Sherlock.”

The Sentinel smiles against his lips before kissing him back and stating, “I love you as well John.”

The rightness of it makes him smile, and he suggests that they go see if breakfast is savable or see about ordering lunch.


	9. Bonding: James to Sebastian

Chapter 9: Bonding: James to Sebastian  
oOo Sebastian’s POV oOo

When his dark-haired Guide had grabbed his hand and dragged him into his bedroom he had been only a little surprised. After all, they had just decided to bond. He finally got Jim. Finally got the bond he had wanted from the moment he had meet the smaller Guide. Almost as soon as they are in the Guide’s bedroom he finds himself pushed up against the wall by the aggressive dark-haired Guide who was kissing him like there was no tomorrow. Pinning him against the door and kissing him, showing that even though he is a Guide he is still the more dominate partner of the relationship and staking his claim. Even as he is being kissed senseless the shorter man is unfastening his clothes, striping him done to nothing before shoving him towards the bathroom attached to the room.

“You’re mine. You understand? Only mine!” there is a nervous energy to the Guide that is different than his normal personality. 

“I know that. Hell, I have been yours since you offered me a job while I was drinking away my life because I had lost my partner.” He replies as he goes where he is pushed. 

Once in the bathroom, he turn the shower on, understand perfectly well what his Guide wants and not having a problem with it. Actually it is rather reassuring. Once it is warm, the two of them climb in the shower and after doing a quick scrub down using the body wash that the shorter man hands him, he turns to his Guide with a smirk. Before he had always kept a small part of him back, not allowing his empathy to connect, now however, he was going to do otherwise and as he pushes the smaller man against the back of the shower, he locks onto him with both sets of senses. 

Time to show him what an atypical can do for their partner, he thinks as cups the smaller man’s face in between his palms and kisses him soundly, allowing his empathy to build the pleasure from both of them much to Jim’s shock. As the smaller man’s breathing becomes more labored and he begins to pant, he lifts him up, and continues to kiss him, but works his way down his throat to his shoulder. He knows that he will not be in charge for long, but he might as well enjoy the brief time he is, and enjoy surprising his Guide. 

As he allows his senses to flare open he feels the Guide in his arms slowly opening up to him and the link is formed, a deep link born of need and pleasure. He had just reached the smaller mans stomach for kissing and licking when he feels the bond snap into place and the surge of pleasure that goes with it is unbelievable. Despite that, he continues to focus on pleasuring the smaller man, using his heel to shut off the water as he carefully sets him down and towels him off before kneeling at his feet and carefully running the edge of his tongue down the length of his vein on the underside of his cock. 

“Bastian! Bed. Now!” the Guide orders him as he sucks him closer to the edge. 

With one last long lick, he does as directed, but he is smirking as he does so. Once on the bed, he lays back because he understands that’s exactly what his Guide wants and waits patiently while the smaller man grabs something out of the dresser before joining him on the bed. Ah, the straps to bind him to the bed, he should have expected them. After wiggling around a bit to get comfortable, he holds perfectly still while his Guide straps him to the bed frame and shoves as wedge pillow under the small of his back so his arse is the air and available for whatever his dark-haired companion wants. 

“You are mine, never forget that, and I get to choose what happens to you. Right now I want you begging,” Jim tells him as he starts to rub small circles into the muscles of his legs as he slowly works his way up his body. 

He smirks at the smaller man, determined that he is not giving in that easily. Besides, he is enjoying the feelings that are currently being shared between them.

“This is why you were sad. This is why you wouldn’t answer me.” the Guide remarks before he sucks a nice love bite on the back side of his knee. “You wanted this, the bond that I never even considered.” He continues as he runs the flat of his tongue up the side of his leg. “You wanted everything. Something I never considered doing.” Another love bit follows this pronouncement, this time to his other leg just before where his leg and torso join together. 

“Yessss,” he hisses out as he gasps, the sensation of feeling his Guides rough tongue and emotions is driving him higher sooner than he expected. 

“I’ll forgive you for never saying.” The Guide mutters as he proceeds to licking the underside of his balls, tracing the veins in it, “After all, you are not a genius for all you are far more interesting than I originally realizing.” 

“Boss!” he gasps as the shorter man noses at his hole for a moment before running the flat of his tongue around it and in. 

A light nip to the side of his ass has him arching a bit, “Jim,” the smaller man murmurs, “right now I am not your boss, I am your lover, your bondmate, your Guide,” there is extra emphasis put on the word Guide. “No one else gets to touch you like this unless I want them to.” The dark-haired man murmurs as he grabs a bottle of lube from the side of the bed, “Your mine. My sniper, my Sentinel, my lover.” The Guide growls at him possessively as he starts to quickly prepare him. 

“Yes,” he hisses out again, still riding the emotions that are going between the two of them. 

“Of course you are going to explain how you hid something so unique from me,” he mutters as the shorter man throws the lube bottle aside, “Mine,” he growls one more time as he thrusts hard into, managing to hit his prostate on the first try. 

“Jim!” he gasps out, but he still does not beg.

The next long while is filled with the sounds of their bodies moving against each other, well as much as his can when he is tied to the bed. While his Guide continues to fuck him senseless, his slender fingers are tracing over scars and muscles, electing all sorts of noises out of him as the pleasure climbs higher and higher. Eventually, he cannot help himself and under the combined feels of both their emotions he starts begging for more.

Focusing on the binds on his arms he tries to picture exactly how they are hooked together and proceeds to unfastening them. When they are unfasten he does the same thing to his legs before he grabs the smaller mans hips and grinds hard against him, causing both of them to come at the same time with a gasp.

Afterwards, as he lays languidly draped over him, the Guide asks, “How did you do that?”

Smiling slightly, he kisses the smaller man on the collar bone as he murmurs, “Trick John taught me years ago in case we ever got caught by hostile forces. Its part of why people have such a hard time keeping me when they do catch me.”

“Teach me,” the Guide demands sleepily. 

“Later,” he promises, nuzzling the top of his dark-haired companion’s head he mutters, “Love you Jim,” as he drifts off to sleep. Secure for the first time since he met his Guide that the smaller man is not going to leave him. The impression of contentedness is the one he drifts off to.


	10. Bonding: Cross-bonding the Couples

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi folks! I know this is a rather short chapter but it just felt right. 
> 
> Now I would like to make an offer, since it is Christmas time and I am feeling generous, if anyone would like a story prompt written just leave it as a review. I will be accepting any until the tenth to be posted on the twenty-fifth. 
> 
> Thanks to everyone who reviews!

Chapter 10: Bonding: Cross-bonding the Couple  
oOo John’s POV oOo

He couldn’t tell how long it had been since he had bonded his Sentinel and his partner had bonded his Guide. The one thing he knew was he was hungry however, so after kissing his Sentinel for a long moment, he rolls out of bed and heads to the small bathroom to get washed up. No reason not to. Once he feels clean enough that he is not going to have a noticeable scent he dresses and heads to the kitchen. The food that he had made for breakfast looks and smell like it has been sitting out too long, which a quick glance to the clock tells him it has. Sighing, he throws it all away before he sets to making a late lunch, early dinner. He has just finished cooking when Sebastian and James come out into the living room, and just a few breaths after that Sherlock does as well.

“Good, you all are up, its time to eat. Got to eat to maintain proper amounts of energy.” He states as he makes himself a plate.

Grinning, Sebastian is the second one to grab some food, sniffing at it appreciatively before actually taking it to eat.

Both geniuses just stare at him.

“Really boys, time to eat, believe me when I say I will force you if I have to. Neither of you have had anything more solid than tea in two days.” He states, grabbing a pair of empty plates and thrusting it at them.

For a moment the both of them stare at him before his Sentinel finally sighs dramatically before making himself a small plate of food. The Guide on the other hand merely glares at him as he does the same before quickly sitting down beside his bonded.

“Gezz oh peats, is he always this stubborn about food?” he asks the strawberry-blonde with a raised eyebrow.

Nodding between bites the sniper replies, “Yep,” he pauses for a moment before remarking, “You’re still a good cook. Learn any new recipes?”

“I had too. Stubborn over there likes to skip eating for days at a time and there is only certain stuff he seems to like.” He responds to his partner with a small shrug as he finishes up and sets to cleaning the dishes.

Once everything has been dealt with and the other three are done eating, he glances between them, raising an eyebrow at his partner questioningly and getting a small shake of his head in response. Well then, he would be the one forming the bond between the other two, that’s alright. Heading back into the living room, he tugs on his bond’s arm, pulling him out of his seat and over to where the other pair is seated. With a quick upwards nod of his head, he motions to his partner and the strawberry blonde seems to understand because he stands, pulling his bonded up with him.

When all four of them are standing close together he turns first to the other Guide, locking both sets of senses onto the dark-haired man. Stepping so they are nose to nose he cups the other Guide’s jaw before kissing him, carefully breathing into him before intentionally inhaling the other mans breath. As he does so he pulls the dark-haired Guide’s energy to him, and joins it with his own, linking their empathy. Once their empathy is linked he releases the other Guide. Then he turns to the dark-haired Sentinel and smiles at him, before pulling his bonded closer and kissing him the exact same way, only unlike the Guide, the Sentinel reaches for him, holding him close as he connects the Sentinel and Guide’s energies together. As soon as he feels the link between them form he releases his bonded and steps back with a small smirk while raising an eyebrow to the strawberry-blonde Sentinel. A moment later the strawberry-blonde leans down and the two blondes kiss, sharing power and completing the link between them.

As he feels the last part of the link forge, he releases his partner and steps back again. He can feel the arousal in the air from all three of the other men, though both dark-haired men seem to be in shock over the fact that they are still aroused.

 _Hello gents,_ he remarks to the three of them.

Sebastian, who is the only one familiar with his form of telepathy, shifts from smirking to grinning. While the other two shifts from scowling to staring at him with wide eyes.

 _What is this?_ The dark-haired Guide demands in shock as he looks between them.

 _We must test this new ability!_ The dark-haired Sentinel mentally exclaims. _What all can we do with it?_

His partner starts laughing, a low rumble that vibrates through the link as much as it does aloud.

 _We still have our private link as well. You also have a private link to him now as well._ He tells his partner with a small smile.

 _Awesome._ His partner responds before glancing around, _now I am going to take my Guide back to the bedroom and keep enjoying his company. How about we arrange for dinner somewhere else tonight? I think our geniuses would appreciate that._

 _Sounds like a good plan to me,_ he responds as he loops his arm through his bondmates and turns towards the door to the room they are sharing.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to all you lovely people who clicked on some form of communication, I simply adore getting messages about reviews, favorites, and follows. Enjoy!


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